LulzSec hacks FBI affiliate's site, grabs user data
updated 06:35 am EDT, Sun June 5, 2011
LulzSec strikes again, hacks site, steals data
LulzSec, the group of hackers that recently embarrassed Sony again, has now switched its attention an FBI affiliate’s site and hacked it. In doing so, it also exposed the user data of around 180 of the sites users. Among them, was the data of Unveillance CEO Karim Hijazi. Hijazi claims that LulzSec not only stole his data, including access to his company emails and Gmail account, but the group also tried extort more data and money from him.
LulzSec sent the email (embedded below) to Hijazi, which resulted in a week long exchange of exchanges. While Hijazi says that he notified the FBI immediately, the hackers wanted him to reveal sensitive information that his firm had uncovered about the whereabouts of compromised computers on the net that can be used to launch botnet attacks.
"They had me under the gun for a little over a week with threats and extortion," said Hijazi. The very nature of having to contend with someone who is holding something ransom is not pleasant. I don't believe it will impact our organization; it just sucks for my family and me,” he added.
When Hijazi refused to hand over the details that LulzSec was asking of him, LulzSec exposed his entire company emails as well as the contents of his Gmail account.
While LulzSec have a different version of how events unfolded, claiming that Hijazi offered to pay LulzSec to eliminate his competitors, the story is yet another alarming insight into the potential damage that can be wrought through Internet data theft and insecure websites. [via CNET]
