This is not a horror story, nor a tale of a fanatic group. The Cult of the Dead Cow (often abbreviated as cDc) is one of the oldest and most influential hacker collectives in the world: underground tech innovators, internet pranksters, and political activists.
They’re famous for blending elite hacking skills with sharp counterculture satire, releasing both groundbreaking security tools and pointed political statements.
What is the Cult of The Dead Cow?
The Cult of the Dead Cow was founded in 1984 in Lubbock, Texas, primarily by teen Kevin Wheeler (aka Grandmaster Ratte’) and others from the Texas BBS (Bulletin Board System) scene. The name of this hacker group was inspired by an abandoned slaughterhouse in Lubbock.
cDc started as a BBS clique trading text files, jokes, and digital zines. The group stood for freedom of information, challenging authority, and “hacktivism.”
The fathers of Hacktivism
“Access to information is a human right.”
cDc popularized the idea of hacking as a form of political expression. They often wrapped security tools in irreverent branding, making them accessible to the press and public. They coined the term “hacktivism” in the mid-1990s, framing hacking as a means for social change.
- Hacktivism is the use of computer-based techniques, such as hacking, for political or social activism, combining the concepts of 'hack' and 'activism' to promote a cause. It involves actions like website defacement, denial-of-service (DoS) attacks, data leaks, and information theft to raise awareness, protest injustice, or challenge perceived corrupt entities like governments or corporations.
While some view it as a form of digital civil disobedience, it remains illegal in most jurisdictions, as unauthorized access to computer systems constitutes a criminal act regardless of the intent.
cDc tools
In 1998, cDc released a tool called Back Orifice, a Windows remote administration tool that was meant as a satirical critique of Microsoft’s weak Windows security. Back Orifice allowed full remote control of a Windows machine. Its reception was hugely controversial: praised for highlighting vulnerabilities of the Windows system, it was also condemned for enabling malicious hacking.
In 1999, the group released a more powerful version of Back Orifice and later released other hacking software, including security exploits, privacy tools, and utilities to circumvent censorship. cDc was outspoken against internet censorship, especially in China. They developed tools like Goolag Scanner to identify sites blocked by Chinese censorship systems.
They were also early supporters of information freedom, encryption, and whistleblower protection.
Zines and media manipulation
The CdC group created a text file “zine” series (cDc communications), characterized by mixed hacking tutorials, absurdist humour, and political commentary.
cDc members were masters at using media hype — for example, unveiling Back Orifice at DEF CON 6 with theatrics and live demos.
Another notasble examble is when, between 1992 and 1993, cDc released fake antivirus warnings and joke “viruses” to mock overblown virus hysteria. Their campaign got mainstream media attention, highlighting how fear was being used to sell security products.
cDc played with personas: many members had elaborate handles and mythologies.
Notable members of cDc
The most famous members of cDc are:
- Grandmaster Ratte’ (Kevin Wheeler) — co-founder, media frontman.
- Oxblood Ruffin — spokesperson, political strategist, “hacktivism” advocate.
- Dildog — lead developer of Back Orifice.
- Mudge (Peiter Zatko) — also member of L0pht Heavy Industries; later worked for DARPA, Twitter, and US government.
- Adrian Lamo — associated loosely, though not a core “active” cDc developer; became infamous after turning in Chelsea Manning.
- Sir Dystic — coined “hacktivism,” worked on security tools.
It’s important to note that not all “hacks” attributed to cDc were actual network intrusions — often, they were proof-of-concepts, software releases, or theatrical hacks aimed at raising awareness. cDc members were as much culture-shapers as system breakers, and their influence is still felt in hacktivism and the infosec community.
The impact of the Adrian Lamo controversy
While cDc had long advocated for whistleblowing and information freedom, Adrian Lamo’s decision to report Chelsea Manning to US authorities in 2010 caused deep fractures in hacker culture.
Many in the community felt this was a betrayal of hacker ethics. The cDc brand suffered reputational blowback by association, even though the group as a whole did not take credit for Lamo’s actions. WikiLeaks saw a surge in both attention and hostility from US intelligence after the Manning leaks, in part because Lamo’s cooperation with the FBI secured a conviction.
The episode marked the end of an era for “romanticized” hacktivism in the US. After Manning, the FBI’s infiltration and prosecution of hacker groups accelerated.
cDc today
cDc is still remembered as a founding force in hacker counterculture. Its members still engage in digital rights work, encryption advocacy, and cyber policy. Their blending of humour, media stunts, and serious research is still a template for “security disclosure with flair.”
In 2019, a book titled Cult of the Dead Cow: How the Original Hacking Supergroup Might Just Save the World by Joseph Menn revived interest, linking their ethos to today’s privacy tech movements.
However, in hacker circles, they are either seen as pioneers of the digital resistance or inevitably stained by the Lamo episode.