Hackers Attack Neo-Nazi Groups
Hacktivist collective Anonymous published thousands of names and e-mail addresses connected to Germany’s far-right National Democratic Party.
In support of its “Operation Blitzkrieg” campaign, the German wing of Anonymous created the “Nazi-Leaks.net” website and posted the information from the NPD, including contacts from a right-wing newspaper and names taken from neo-Nazi online store lists.
The loosely organized collective has been busy lately disrupting those it opposes and aiming to bolster those it supports. The group’s latest efforts highlight its disdain for neo-Nazis, but aren’t the first to feel the collective’s wrath.
For example, last month in the U.S., Anonymous shut down the Florida Family Association’s website, which was rallying against the TLC network show “All-American Muslim.” The hackers targeted the group’s homepage, saying it destroys free speech. The hackers also exposed the email and IP addresses of more than 30 FFA newsletter subscribers and donors and listed credit card information for a dozen more.
Prior to that recent incident the group gained past notoriety for several attacks against media outlets, businesses and governments it views as suppressing free speech, spreading intolerance or infringing basic rights.
Many Germans sympathize with the motivation behind Anonymous’ latest attack, but criticize their methods, citing privacy concerns.
“The intention is a good one, but I think this is the wrong way to act,” said Simone Rafael, from the anti-Nazi web forum netz-gegen-nazis.de, to the BBC. “Putting the addresses and names of people onto the Internet is the wrong way to do this.”
Reportedly, some of the people listed are not right-wing extremists, and a few have been identified as those merely contacted by the right-wing publications seeking interviews.
Even a different faction of Anonymous in Hamburg called the website a “bad” idea.
“The best way to handle people like Nazis is with ridicule and education,” the splinter group wrote to Deutsche Welle in an email.
After news of the attack broke, the nazi-leaks.net site became inaccessible, possibly because it was experiencing a high volume of traffic.
Source http://www.forbes.com/sites/mobiledia/2012/01/09/hackers-attack-neo-nazi-groups/
In support of its “Operation Blitzkrieg” campaign, the German wing of Anonymous created the “Nazi-Leaks.net” website and posted the information from the NPD, including contacts from a right-wing newspaper and names taken from neo-Nazi online store lists.
The loosely organized collective has been busy lately disrupting those it opposes and aiming to bolster those it supports. The group’s latest efforts highlight its disdain for neo-Nazis, but aren’t the first to feel the collective’s wrath.
For example, last month in the U.S., Anonymous shut down the Florida Family Association’s website, which was rallying against the TLC network show “All-American Muslim.” The hackers targeted the group’s homepage, saying it destroys free speech. The hackers also exposed the email and IP addresses of more than 30 FFA newsletter subscribers and donors and listed credit card information for a dozen more.
Prior to that recent incident the group gained past notoriety for several attacks against media outlets, businesses and governments it views as suppressing free speech, spreading intolerance or infringing basic rights.
Many Germans sympathize with the motivation behind Anonymous’ latest attack, but criticize their methods, citing privacy concerns.
“The intention is a good one, but I think this is the wrong way to act,” said Simone Rafael, from the anti-Nazi web forum netz-gegen-nazis.de, to the BBC. “Putting the addresses and names of people onto the Internet is the wrong way to do this.”
Reportedly, some of the people listed are not right-wing extremists, and a few have been identified as those merely contacted by the right-wing publications seeking interviews.
Even a different faction of Anonymous in Hamburg called the website a “bad” idea.
“The best way to handle people like Nazis is with ridicule and education,” the splinter group wrote to Deutsche Welle in an email.
After news of the attack broke, the nazi-leaks.net site became inaccessible, possibly because it was experiencing a high volume of traffic.
Source http://www.forbes.com/sites/mobiledia/2012/01/09/hackers-attack-neo-nazi-groups/
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