Anonymous hacktivists hacked into the official website of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on January 11, 2014 to mark first death anniversary of Aaron Swartz, the internet prodigy and also a fellow student at the MIT. This is their third intrusion into the website, the first being shortly after his suicide and the second one on January 22, 2013.
The hackers left a deface note reminding the institution of the role it played in prosecution of Aaron and that they would never forget his death. The server of Co-generation project website of the MIT was defaced for one hour and the page read:
It was undersigned as “OpLastResort”—a shortened form of Operation Last Resort which is a movement started by the Anonymous group protesting against Swartz’s suicide and federal prosecution.
The hackers also used this occasion to spread a word about their oncoming protest on February 11, The Day We Fight Back, against unprecedented NSA surveillance.
Reddit Creative Commons and Demand Progress co-founder, Aaron Swartz, committed suicide by hanging himself in his Brooklyn apartment. Aaron was arrested in July 2011 and charged with 13 counts of felony hacking in September 2012 for downloading 4 million copyrighted JSTOR (Journal Storage) online archived articles. The articles were made public
His father, Bob Swartz, who works at MIT could not save his son despite endless plea negotiations and strongly alleges his suicide to the active role played by the institution, rather than the neutral role it declared, and the overzealous Department of Justice prosecution.
The internet security software company AVG is in trouble, this time around the company, has been attacked by hackers from Indonesia and Pakistan. Already, 19 official domains of the company have been hacked and defaced.
From Indonesia, a hacker going with the handle of Hmei7 has hacked 11 domains belonging to AVG’s downloads, renewal, free trial, AVG education solution, jobs and test.
SultanHaikal from Indonesia has hacked 8 websites belonging to AVG distributors from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Uruguay, while Pakistani hacker with handle of DR@CUL@ defaced official blog of AVG’s Japan.
All 3 hackers left their deface pages along with messages on all hacked AVG domains. The deface messages can be read on Zone-h mirrors here.
It is unclear why the AVG was targeted. However, this is not the first time when the company has been attacked. Last year, AVG’s South African and Korean domains were hacked, following with the leak of over 10k product keys. Then the official AVG website was defaced by Anonymous Palestine.
At the time of publishing this article, most of the targeted AVG domains were down and showing error message.
A group of hackers going with the handle of AnonSec has hacked and defaced 720 random websites from all over the world.
Group has left a deface page along with a message on all hacked websites, bashing admins for poor site security. However, any specific reason for targeting these sites was not mentioned anywhere. The deface message was expressed in following words:
- Hacked by AnonSec Hackers! Enjoy being down! Don’t worry we only uploaded our deface page. Secure your shit! No matter how mafia you are, mess with the best, die like the rest!
All targeted sites are privately owned, none of them belongs to any government institution. Click here to view list of all hacked websites.
At the time of publishing this article, all 740 websites were hacked and displaying deface page left by the hackers.
Azerbaijan Hackers from Anti-Armenia Team have hacked and defaced several Armenian government ministries websites.
The sites were hacked two days ago where hackers left their deface page along with an anti-Armenian video message on all hacked websites. The links of all hacked websites is available here.
The total number of targeted websites is 64, which includes high profile Armenian government ministries such as Ministry of Education, police, city districts, Artsakh State University, Youth For Achievements” Educational NGO, Football Federation of Armenia and several other Armenian website.
Azerbaijani hackers contacted me via email and explained about the hack. However, it is unclear if they have acquired any sensitive data or not.
This is not the first time when Azerbaijani hackers have targeted high profile Armenian government ministries. Last year the Anti-Armenian team had breached in to the server of National Security Service of Armenia and leaked highly confidential documents. The same team hacked top Armenian ministries websites earlier in August 2013.
Azerbaijan and Armenia are known for their conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh, both countries even had a war on the same issue.
At the time of publishing this article, all websites were restored and working online.
A Bangladeshi hacker going with the handle of xlx_xlx from 3xp1r3 Cyber Army has hacked and defaced the official website of Embassy of India in Doha, Qatar.
The hacker left his group’s deface page along with a message against The Board Of Control For Cricket In India’s threat to harm Bangladeshi test cricket status if the country’s cricket board did not supported India during International Cricket Council’s (ICC) voting over cricket rights. The message warns the BCCI against any step taken to harm Bangladeshi cricket team.
- This is for what you wanted to do with our TEST status. Our Cricket is Our Pride! We Love Our BD Cricket Team more then our Life. This is the WARNING for Indian Cricket Board. Don’t try to overrule on our cricket. BCCI and ECB will face the ROAR of BANGLADESHI TIGERS soon. We’re coming to your CYBERSPACE. We’re Watching you. GOOD LUCK.
The deface message also added:
- Cricket was a game of Gentle man. Then India came up & Its become a game of greedy Business man. We Hate India. Save Cricket Save Bangladesh ! W3 n3v3r f0rg3t ! W3 n3v3r f0rgiv3!
Link of targeted website along with its mirror is available below:
http://www.indianembassyqatar.org/
http://zone-h.org/mirror/id/21651289
It seems as if this is a start of a new cyber war over cricket game which is dear to many living in the Sub-continent.
At the time of publishing this article, the website of Indian Embassy in Qatar was restored and working online.
Hacktivists from Ukrainian neo-fascist ‘Svoboda’ party hacked and defaced more than 30 Ukrainian government and media websites.
Hackers have left a deface page along with a statement on all hacked websites that ‘Svoboda’ is ready to seize power in Ukraine and that they are the only real political force in the country.
- We are ready to take over, we are the only real political force in the country. We came forever; we don’t need a constitution of 2004; down with Klitschko and Yatseniuk we will go till the end”
List of targeted website is available here.
The protest in the country has started a major political crises in the country. It seems the hack was done for the same reason.
At the time of publishing this article, some of the sites were hacked while some were restored and working online.
The pro-Bashar Al Assad hacking group Syrian Electronic Army has hacked into the domain registry of world renowned online shopping and money transaction platforms Ebay and MarkMonitor which manages security for Paypal.
The hack was announced by SEA on their official Twitter account which shows that official websites of UK’s Ebay (ebay.co.uk) and Paypal (paypal.co.uk) were hacked and defaced. The group also left a deface page along with a message on the hacked Paypal UK site, expressed in following words:
- Hacked by Syrian Electronic Army! Fuck the United States Government.
An exclusive screenshot provided of hack provided by SEA which shows that hackers have admin access to MarkMonitor domain.
In other Tweets SEA said that it did not touched user data as ”the hack was purely hacktivist operation.”
It is unclear how SEA hacked both domains. However, hack is a high profile and leaves big question mark over Ebay and Paypal’s security. During an exclusive conversation when we asked one of SEA’s official about hack and what method did they used? They reply was:
- Paypal used a large amount of authentication and verification protocols so the attack required a lot more advanced techniques.
Another screenshot provided by SEA shows internal Paypal communications confirming penetration:
At the time of publishing this article both sites were restored and working online.
An Iranian hacker going with the handle of Dr.3v1l has hacked and defaced the official website of President of Nepal.
Screenshot of the deface page left by the hacker
Dr.3v1l left his deface page with a message on hacked Nepali presidential website. He also left a Pastie with the site’s database along with mirror, admin username and password in hash form.
The deface message was expressed in following words:
- Hacked by Dr.3v1l Iranian Hackers! Was Here b.devils.b@gmail.com @Doctor_3v1l Black_Devils B0ys | RedHatHackers ( #RHH ) Special Tnx to Hellboy , member of #rhh!
Link of targeted website along with its mirror and leaked data is available here.
The reason for targeting Nepali presidential website remains unknown. However, at the time of publishing this article; the site was showing deface banner uploaded by the Iranian hacker Dr.3v1l.
The online hacktivists from Z Company Hacking Crew (ZHC) have hacked two official domains of National portal of India and left messages against Indian occupation over Kashmir.
One of the hacked domain is designated for mobile users (http://m.india.gov.in/), while other domain belongs to the site’s content (http://india.gov.in/content)
Though the sites were partially hacked and no deface page was uploaded. However, a message on both domains was visible; expressed in following words:
- ZHC was here! Owns Indian National portal. It has been 65 years since your invasion of our lands but the fire of freedom still burns in our hearts. ZHC.
Links of targeted websites along with their Zone-h mirrors are available below:
http://india.gov.in/content/zhc-was-here
http://m.india.gov.in/content/zhc-was-here
http://www.zone-h.org/mirror/id/21800018
http://www.zone-h.org/mirror/id/21800017
At the time of publishing this article, both sites were displaying message left by the hackers.
The official websites of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Earth Hour Philippines have been hacked and defaced by Indonesian based hacking group Gantengers Crew.
Hackers left a deface page along with a message on both hacked websites. The reason for targeting these sites was not explained anywhere. The deface message was expressed in following words:
- Gantengers Crew Hacked you! :) Hacked WWF-Philippines, Indonesian h4x0r back! Greets / sh00ts To All Muslim hackers!
Link of targeted websites along with its mirrors is available below:
http://wwf.org.ph/
http://www.zone-h.com/mirror/id/21848911
http://earthhour.wwf.org.ph/
http://www.zone-h.com/mirror/id/21848912
This is not the first time when aWWF domain is under attack. In 2013, WWF China was hacked and login information of over 58 4111 users, staff and the clients of the WWF China was leaked.
At the time of publishing this article, both website of were down and showing error message.
The official website of Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES) has been hacked and defaced by Indonesian hacking group ”Black Angels”.
This is how RIMES website originally looks like
The hackers going with the handle of Hmei7 and Dbuzz along with others are behind the attack in which the high profile website of RIMES has been left with a deface page along with a message, expressed in following words:
- Initiating System! System loaded, Your web server needs security! Security system owned by Black Angels.
Home Page of RIMES website after defacement
RIMES is an international and intergovernmental institution, owned and managed by its Member States, for the generation and application of early warning information.
Link of targeted site along with its mirror is available below:
Hmei7 and Dbuzz are known for their high profile hacks. You can read about their previous hacks by clicking here.
At the time of publishing this article, the website of Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES) was hacked and displaying deface page left by the hackers.
A Pakistani hacker going with the handle Hasnain Haxor from Pakistan Haxor Crew has hacked and defaced the official website of Pakistani consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia against corrupt government in the country.
Deface page left by the hackers
Hacker left a deface page along with a message on the homepage of the website, protesting against the ongoing corruption. The message was expressed in Urdu and English language.
- Pakistan Haxor Crew! Whatever you fail to detect, will cause your downfall… We don’t need metro bus, we need education! We don’t need terrorism but Peace! We want end to this corrupt government.
Hackers also explained that their war is against the system and not against an individual.
- Pakistan Haxors Crew is here to remind you of your security… Our fight is not against any individual but the system as a whole. Should you choose to ignore security, it will reincarnate as your worst nightmare! We just defaced your website to give you a chance to put your hands on it before others come and destroy it!
Link of targeted website along with its mirror is available below:
Pakistani consulate deals with visa and residency issues faced by Pakistani in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
At the time of publishing this article, the website of Pakistani consulate was restored and working online.
The official website belonging to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kuwait was hacked and defaced on 26th March, 2014 by unknown hackers but reading the message on site shows they are Anti Syrian President Bashar Al Assad.
Hackers left a deface page along with a message, asking Kuwaiti government and other Middle Eastern countries to interfere in Syrian conflict and put the war to an end. The message was expressed in Arabic language which has been translated in English:
Deface page left by hackers in Arabic language
- Asalam Alykom! First of all we apologize for this hack but I would like to send a message to your state and who took part in your advertisement about Syria. Dear beloved ones, too much talk is meaningless, Bashar has been in office for 3 years but you have never stopped talking without any results.
Hackers asked Middle Eastern states for cooperation to solve the Syrian crises.
- We only need your collective cooperation and to be one hand against oppression and stop giving lame excuses to justify, we need a military action to solve their problem (referring to the Syrian crisis). Eventually, do not talk a lot; we need actions because they are louder than words.
Link of targeted website along with its mirror is available below:
At the time of publishing this article, the website of Kuwaiti Ministry of Internal Affairs was restored and working online. However, the Google’s cache still displays by the deface page left by the hackers.
On 31st March, 2014, a hacker going with the handle of ”YMH” hacked and defaced the official website of Egyptian Armed Forces Training Authority.
Deface page left by the hacker
Hacker left a deface page along with a message in Arabic language. However, it does not appose or support the opposition or the government, infect it talks about leaving politics aside and enjoy a cup of tea.
Following deface message has been translated from Arabic to English.
- Owned by Ymh! We don’t know with whom to fight, el sisi or the Muslim Brotherhood, leave all the politics behind and enjoy yourselves a little with the tea of Om Hasan ( symbol of the reversed revolution).
On 23rd March, 2014, the same YMH hacker had hacked and defaced the official website of Tourist Development Authority of Egypt and Military Technical College (MTC) Egypt with similar deface messages.
Links of both targeted websites along with their mirrors are available below:
At the time of publishing this article, the website of Egyptian Armed Forces Training Authority was down; while the other two sites were restored and working online.
