Hacking group 'Anonymous' says it won't shut down the internet
Anonymous, a loosely knit group of hackers & hacktivists, have attacked govt and corporate websites to protest what they perceived was injustice.
By TNN | Updated:
NEWDELHI: Will hackers, allegedly associated with a group called Anonymous, shutdown internet on March 31? According to the group's Twitter account, from whereit communicates with the world, the answer isno.
"What is this#OperationGlobalBlackout nonsense? I thought we settled this back in February?It won't happen. Stop asking us about it! >.<," the group's account(@youranonnews) tweeted on March29.
Another account(@AnonymousIRC), added, "Dear Netizens, Internet will remain online. And to thedeath we will defend it. Always. Sail strong and do not get distracted bytrolls."
Incidentally, therumour that hackers associated with Anonymous were planning to bring down theinternet gained credence on Friday after IANS, a news agency, quoted Interpol'ssecretary general, Ronald K Noble saying the threat wasreal.
"Operation GlobalBlackout 2012 looks to shut down the internet for a whole day tomorrow(Saturday) by disabling its core DNS servers, making websites inaccessible," hereportedly told the news agency in NewDelhi.
Anonymous is a looselyknit group of hackers and hacktivists. In the past, they have attackedgovernment and corporate websites to protest what they perceived was injustice.The group had even played a role in keeping the web working for protestors inMiddle East last year when countries like Egypt and Tunisia shut down theinternet after widespreadprotests.
In the last fewmonths, law enforcement authorities in several countries have arrested a numberof alleged Anonymousmembers.
The news about acrippling attack on the internet surfaced last month when a document was postedon a website called Pastebin, which in the past was often used by hackersbelonging to Anonymous and Lulzsec, to communicate with thepress.
"To protest SOPA,Wallstreet, our irresponsible leaders and the beloved bankers who are starvingthe world for their own selfish needs out of sheer sadistic fun, On March 31,anonymous will shut the Internet down," stated the note. It highlighted thatinternet can be shut down by attack on 13 root DNS servers that play a crucialrole in making sure that web users reach their desiredwebsites.
But the problem withPastebin note is that the website can be used by anyone to post any note. MohitKumar, a whitehat hacker and founder of the Hacker News website, said the threatto internet is "bogus". He said, "I can go and post anything on Pastebin inanyone's name. Even if the note is true, technically it is not possible for afew hackers to attack and shutdown 13 rootservers."
On March 29,@youranonnews also said, "For the billionth time: #Anonymous will not shut downthe Internet on 31 March. #OpGlobalBlackout is just another #OpFacebook failop.#yawn".
OpFacebook is referenceto a hacking operation that was supposed to bring down Facebook on November 5(Guy Fawkes Day) last year. At that time Anonymous had said that somebody wasplaying prank. The OpFacebook never materialized. The note about Facebook attackwas also posted on Pastebin.
"What is this#OperationGlobalBlackout nonsense? I thought we settled this back in February?It won't happen. Stop asking us about it! >.<," the group's account(@youranonnews) tweeted on March29.
Another account(@AnonymousIRC), added, "Dear Netizens, Internet will remain online. And to thedeath we will defend it. Always. Sail strong and do not get distracted bytrolls."
Incidentally, therumour that hackers associated with Anonymous were planning to bring down theinternet gained credence on Friday after IANS, a news agency, quoted Interpol'ssecretary general, Ronald K Noble saying the threat wasreal.
"Operation GlobalBlackout 2012 looks to shut down the internet for a whole day tomorrow(Saturday) by disabling its core DNS servers, making websites inaccessible," hereportedly told the news agency in NewDelhi.
Anonymous is a looselyknit group of hackers and hacktivists. In the past, they have attackedgovernment and corporate websites to protest what they perceived was injustice.The group had even played a role in keeping the web working for protestors inMiddle East last year when countries like Egypt and Tunisia shut down theinternet after widespreadprotests.
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In the last fewmonths, law enforcement authorities in several countries have arrested a numberof alleged Anonymousmembers.
The news about acrippling attack on the internet surfaced last month when a document was postedon a website called Pastebin, which in the past was often used by hackersbelonging to Anonymous and Lulzsec, to communicate with thepress.
"To protest SOPA,Wallstreet, our irresponsible leaders and the beloved bankers who are starvingthe world for their own selfish needs out of sheer sadistic fun, On March 31,anonymous will shut the Internet down," stated the note. It highlighted thatinternet can be shut down by attack on 13 root DNS servers that play a crucialrole in making sure that web users reach their desiredwebsites.
But the problem withPastebin note is that the website can be used by anyone to post any note. MohitKumar, a whitehat hacker and founder of the Hacker News website, said the threatto internet is "bogus". He said, "I can go and post anything on Pastebin inanyone's name. Even if the note is true, technically it is not possible for afew hackers to attack and shutdown 13 rootservers."
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On March 29,@youranonnews also said, "For the billionth time: #Anonymous will not shut downthe Internet on 31 March. #OpGlobalBlackout is just another #OpFacebook failop.#yawn".
OpFacebook is referenceto a hacking operation that was supposed to bring down Facebook on November 5(Guy Fawkes Day) last year. At that time Anonymous had said that somebody wasplaying prank. The OpFacebook never materialized. The note about Facebook attackwas also posted on Pastebin.
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