Operation Payback cripples MasterCard site in revenge for WikiLeaks ban

[G_j]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/08/operation-payback-mastercard-website-wikileaks

Operation Payback cripples MasterCard site in revenge for WikiLeaks ban

Hackers attack credit card company and Swedish prosecution authority as 'censorship' row escalates


Esther Addley and Josh Halliday guardian.co.uk,
Wednesday 8 December 2010 17.28 GMT

The websites of the international credit card MasterCard and the Swedish prosecution authority are among the latest to be taken offline in the escalating technological battle over WikiLeaks, web censorship and perceived political pressure.

Co-ordinated attacks by online activists who support the site and its founder Julian Assange – who is in UK custody accused of raping two Swedish women – have seen the websites of the alleged victims' Swedish lawyer disabled, while commercial and political targets have also been subject to attack by a loose coalition of global hackers.

The Swedish prosecution authority has confirmed its website was attacked last night and this morning. MasterCard was partially paralysed today in revenge for the payment network's decision to cease taking donations to WikiLeaks.

In an attack referred to as Operation Payback, a group of online activists calling themselves Anonymous appear to have orchestrated a DDoS (distributed denial of service) attack on the financial site, bringing its service to a halt.

Attempts to access www.mastercard.com have been unsuccessful since shortly after 9.30am.
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latest,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2010/dec/08/wikileaks-us-embassy-cables-live-updates


6.01pm: How did an online attack against mastercard.com also take down MasterCard's payment system backdoor at securecode.com? Because, points out a reader, MasterCard unwisely has both sites linked on the same network connection. Overload one and you also block the other.

5.48pm: The Guardian has just posted a profile of Anonymous, the group of hackers said to be behind the online assaults on MasterCard and PayPal. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/08/anonymous-4chan-wikileaks-mastercard-paypal

5.35pm: Suspected leaker Private Bradley Manning may be Public Enemy No 1 to many people in the US – but not in Berkeley, California, the epi-centre of American liberalism. The San Francisco Chronicle reports:

The council is expected to vote Tuesday on whether to declare its support for Bradley Manning, who's suspected of providing WikiLeaks with classified military documents and a video depicting an Army helicopter attack in Baghdad in which 11 civilians were killed.

Manning, 22, currently in the brig in Quantico, Virginia, faces 52 years in prison if convicted. Manning has not commented on his guilt or innocence.

"If he did what he's accused of doing, he's a patriot and should get a medal," said Bob Meola, the Berkeley peace and justice commissioner who authored the resolution. "I think the war criminals should be the ones prosecuted, not the whistle-blowers.



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[G_j]

1. www.mastercard.com: still down

www.mastercard.com

[snappyturtle]

2. OOPS! Internet Explorer cannot connect to Mastercard! I know this

may inconvenience many, including myself, but....I wish that Anonymous would explain that when war criminals are prosecuted and not the whistle-blowers, business will return as normal. This is jusst a pipe dream where I can find justice. imho


edit: Today Barnes and Noble is offerring a special dollars off coupon online and in-store with Mastercard purchase of toys or games over $19.95....wonder how tha tis going to work?

[Arctic Dave]

3. Awesome. Not only does it send out a message but it hits them were it truly matters to them

the pocketbook. This time of year I'm sure they are loosing a bundle every hour it is down.
Mwahahahah!