[Infowarrior] - Anonymous v. ISIL

[Richard Forno]

Anonymous reportedly hacks into Twitter, Facebook accounts linked to Islamic State

Published February 11, 2015
FoxNews.com
http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2015/02/11/anonymous-reportedly-hacks-into-twitter-facebook-accounts-linked-to-islamic/

Anonymous, the online hacking collective known as 'hacktivists,' took credit Tuesday with shutting down hundreds of social media accounts they linked to Islamic State supporters.

The campaign is called "Operation ISIS" or #OpISIS. The group's online declaration of cyberwar was prompted by last month's deadly attack on the French satirical newspaper, Charlie Hebdo.

The hack is potentially a major blow to ISIS' online propaganda strategy. The militants have utilized the easy access to the public provided by social media. These militants, with little tech savvy, have been able to use social media for recruiting, issuing threats and posting killings. As recent as Tuesday, a group that identified itself as the 'CyberCaliphate' hacked into Newsweek's Twitter account to promote its propaganda. 

TheHackerNews.com said Anonymous released more than 100 social media accounts that they identified as Islamic militants. These accounts were posted by Anonymous on a Pastebin link, DazedDigital.com reported.

"We will hunt you, take down your sites, accounts, emails and expose you," the group said on YouTube. "From now on, there [will be] no safe place for you online—you will be treated like a virus, and we are the cure. We own the internet."

To be sure, any perceived vulnerability, especially with the threat of exposing identities, would be a major problem for militants to connect with potential recruits. Anonymous, which has staged cyberattacks on governments and businesses, finds itself in the unusual position of positive media coverage. News of the hack was featured on the front page of The Sun, with the headline, "The Digilantes."

The hacking appeared to get under the skin of at least one ISIS sympathizer who threatened to kill members of Anonymous if the group proceeds, The International Business Times reported.

The ramifications of the hack remains as unclear as the hackers themselves. Hackers say they exposed or destroyed nearly 800 Twitter accounts, 12 Facebook pages and over 50 email addresses linked with the terrorist organization. A total of 1,500 accounts hackers linked to terror groups have been hacked in total.

"We will hunt you, take down your sites, accounts, emails and expose you," the group said on YouTube. "From now on, there [will be] no safe place for you online—you will be treated like a virus, and we are the cure. We own the internet."

The hackers identified themselves as a multi-ethnic group consisting of Muslims, Christians and Jews.

“We are students, administrators, workers, clerks, unemployed, rich, poor. We are young, or old, gay or straight. We wear smart clothes or Uggs. We come from all races, countries, religions, and ethnicity. United as one, divided by zero. We are Anonymous.”


--
It's better to burn out than fade away.