HackingAnonymous takes down DHS website in hacking spree

Published 7 February 2012

Last Friday the hacktivist group known as Anonymous momentarily took down DHS’s homepage along with several other high-profile attacks in a coordinated campaign

Anonymous takes down the DHS web site // Source: hackingnews.in

Last Friday the hacktivist group known as Anonymous momentarily took down DHS’ homepage along with several other high-profile attacks in a coordinated campaign.

Hackers temporarily brought down the site shortly after 4 PM EST, but within minutes DHS restored its homepage.

The latest attack comes on the same day the group released an audio recording of a call between FBI agents and Scotland Yard that Anonymous had intercepted. The recording stems from a January conference call between the two law enforcement agencies, and the FBI has confirmed the authenticity of the recording.

“The information was intended for law enforcement officers only and was illegally obtained. A criminal investigation is under way to identify and hold accountable those responsible,” the agency said in a statement.

Continuing their Friday hacking spree, Anonymous then infiltrated the website of the attorneys representing Sergeant Frank Wuterich, a U.S. Marine who was recently tried for the 2005 massacre of Iraqi civilians, and released sensitive documents relating to the case. Wuterich was sentenced to no time in jail, despite openly admitting that he had orchestrated the raid on two civilian homes in Iraq and instructed troops to “shoot first, ask later.”

In a statement released along with 3 GB of private email messages, transcripts, testimony and trial evidence from the law firm, Anonymous said, “When justice cannot be found within the confines of their crooked court systems, we must seek revenge on the streets and on the Internet – and dealing out swift retaliation is something we are particularly good at. Worry not comrades, it’s time to deliver some epic ownage.”

The group also replaced the homepage of the Boston Police Department with a message warning of future attacks in retaliation for the department’s crack down of the city’s Occupy movement.

Finally the group took down the Greek Ministry of Justice’s website.

Speaking to a Gizmodo reporter, an unnamed source within the hacker collective, confirmedthat all of Friday’s attacks were part of a coordinated effort.

Each attack has its particular motivations. For example, Boston Police have been in our crosshairs ever since they started harassing the occupation movement there,” the source said.