Technology

MasterCard Hit: Hackers Strike Back to Support WikiLeaks Founder

LONDON (AP) — WikiLeaks supporters struck back Wednesday at perceived enemies of founder Julian Assange, attacking the websites of Swedish prosecutors, the Swedish lawyer whose clients have accused Assange of sexual crimes and the Swiss authority that froze Assange’s bank account.

MasterCard, which pulled the plug on its relationship with WikiLeaks on Tuesday, also seemed to be having severe technological problems.

The online vengeance campaign appeared to be taking the form of denial of service attacks in which computers across the Internet are harnessed — sometimes surreptitiously — to jam target sites with mountains of requests for data, knocking them out of commission.

The online attacks are part of a wave of online support for WikiLeaks that is sweeping the Internet. Twitter was choked with messages of solidarity Wednesday, while the site’s Facebook page hit 1 million fans.

Offline, the organization is under pressure on many fronts. Assange, its founder, is in a U.K. prison fighting extradition to Sweden over the sex crimes case, while moves by Swiss Postfinance, MasterCard, PayPal Inc. and others have impaired the secret-spilling group’s ability to raise money. The U.S. government is also investigating whether Assange can be prosecuted for espionage or other offenses.

Per Hellqvist, a security specialist with the firm Symantec, said a loose network of web activists called “Anonymous” appeared to be behind the attacks. The group, which has previously focused on the Church of Scientology and the music industry, has promised to come to Assange’s aid by knocking offline websites seen as hostile to WikiLeaks.

“While we don’t have much of an affiliation with WikiLeaks, we fight for the same reasons,” the group said in a statement on its website. “We want transparency and we counter censorship. … This is why we intend to utilize our resources to raise awareness, attack those against and support those who are helping lead our world to freedom and democracy.”

It was not immediately clear which attacks the group was responsible for, although activists on Twitter and other forums cheered the news of each one in turn.

The website for MasterCard, which has said it will no longer process donations to WikiLeaks, was either down or sluggish early Wednesday. The company said it was experiencing “heavy traffic” but did not elaborate.

The website for Swedish lawyer Claes Borgstrom, who represents the two women at the center of Assange’s sex crimes case, was unreachable Wednesday.

The Swiss postal system’s financial arm, Postfinance, which shut down Assange’s new bank account on Monday, was also having trouble. Spokesman Alex Josty said the website buckled under a barrage of traffic Tuesday but the onslaught seems to have eased off.

“Yesterday it was very, very difficult, then things improved overnight,” he told The Associated Press. “But it’s still not entirely back to normal.”

While one Internet company after another has cut its ties to the websites amid intense U.S. government pressure — Amazon.com, PayPal Inc., EveryDNS — the French government’s effort to stop a company there from hosting WikiLeaks has failed — at least for now.

The Web services company OVH, which is among those hosting the current site — wikileaks.ch — sought a ruling by two courts about the legality of hosting WikiLeaks in France. The judges said this week they couldn’t decide on the highly technical case right away.

WikiLeaks evoked the ire of the U.S. government last spring when it posted a gritty war video taken by Army helicopters showing troops gunning down two unarmed Reuters journalists. Since then, the organization has leaked some 400,000 classified U.S. war files from Iraq and 76,000 from Afghanistan that U.S. military officials say included names of U.S. informants and other information that could put people’s lives at risk.

The latest leaks have involved private U.S. diplomatic cables that included frank U.S. assessments of foreign nations and their leaders.

___

Malin Rising in Stockholm, Frank Jordans in Geneva, Jamey Keaten in Paris, Cassandra Vinograd in London, Rod McGuirk in Canberra, Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem, and Anne Flaherty in Washington contributed to this report.

Comments (56)

1 2
  • David Foxfire
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 6:51pm

    I do hope that none of you are using cloud technology for anything important right now. These Hackavists are in my mind acting like total and complete trolls, taking on anyone and everyone who is standing up to someone who pretty much doesn’t even want republic-style governments. Assange is on record as a black-flag Anarchist, which isn’t any better than what we have with Obama, in my book.

    Report Post »  
  • Randyrocker
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 3:17pm

    The credit card companies are attacking WikiLeaks Julian Assange, because he has the information about to hit the public airwaves pertaining to the chicanery of the banks and their criminal cohorts in the stock market. These credit card companies probably got a hint in advance of how some of the pending info may hurt them, and they don’t want this info to enter into the hands of the public, because of the possible graft and corruption they may have been involved in. Theft has a cost to it too.

    Report Post »  
  • ann82
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 2:59pm

    What I take issue with is the idea that everyone has the right to know everything for the sake of glorious “transparency.” There are things that are kept secret for very good reason (to protect an informant’s identity and discussing strategies in war). It is not as though Assange just opened these issues within the American govt to the American people, he presented it as though the whole world has every right to know the inner workings of the exposed govt. That’s like saying the prosecution has the right to the transcripts of sessions between the defense attorney and his client in the middle of the trial. The US govt has the right not to reveal their full hand to the international community. “Transparency” is not the ultimate good.

    Report Post »  
  • Tired_of_the_lies
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 2:53pm

    “The United States is pleased to announce that it will host UNESCO’s World Press Freedom Day event in 2011.”

    Now that is priceless – how ironic!

    Report Post »  
  • tiredofdeception
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 2:19pm

    How can one like Assange have any friends? Can you imagine being around this man and his followers? The only thing I would feel same to say is “Hello” for fear I would be recorded for future profit.

    Report Post »  
  • tiredofdeception
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 2:15pm

    “WikiLeaks evoked the ire of the U.S. government last spring when it posted a gritty war video taken by Army helicopters showing troops gunning down two unarmed Reuters journalists.” I have not heard of this video. Has anyone else seen or heard of this vid?

    Report Post »  
  • Camo Pants
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 2:14pm

    Wow.. welcome to Runescape PKing… or any other online game a 10 year old would get mad in… Not really news IMO :l

    Report Post »  
  • Psychosis
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 1:28pm

    i see this as just another reason the gov. will use to push for control of the internet

    what are the chances ALL OF THIS IS STAGED FROM THE BEGINNING?………… pretty good i think

    Report Post » Psychosis  
  • Jim in Houston
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 1:19pm

    It shouldn’t be too difficult for IT experts to track these people down, if they really wanted to. They should be jailed for life for the troubles they are causing so many people.

    Report Post »  
  • J.C. McGlynn
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 1:07pm

    To me, It looks like the lefties are making a martyr out of Assange.

    Report Post » J.C. McGlynn  
  • Rowgue
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 1:03pm

    Would all the morons out there please wipe your hard drives, re-install your operating system, and take proper precautions against malware.

    These kiddie game DDoS attacks are only possible because there are so many idiots that allow them access to their computers and are too stupid to realize their systems are compromised.

    Report Post »  
  • Cherished Emblems
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 12:42pm

    We accept MasterCard here at Cherished Emblems…for now I guess.

    Report Post » Cherished Emblems  
  • mike_trivisonno
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 12:14pm

    The internet is Blessed.

    Report Post » mike_trivisonno  
  • LadyLiberty
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 12:10pm

    what i find nauseating are the liberals praising this guy yet in the same breath trying to silence conservatives.

    Report Post » LadyLiberty  
    • tiredofdeception
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 2:22pm

      That is the game of this lefty. Anyone that thinks he is a hero should locate the knife in their backs. Who are the backers of this man? As far as I know, he is not rich, so who funds him? How does he make a living? Does he take money for downloads? Who hooked him up with the PFC traitor?

      Report Post »  
  • WatchingThePuppetShow
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 12:00pm

    Wow really grappling with NoName22′s comment…Christ similarities, really? Don’t recall reading that in my bible.

    The problem with them crashing Master Card‘s site is this gives our government just one more reason why they need to ’intervene’ and take control over the internet more than they have already.

    Wikileaks: If our government really wants to keep our nation’s top secrets classified, maybe they should be kept in the same place that Obama’s college transcripts and birth certificate are kept…just a thought.

    Report Post »  
    • GeorgeWashingtonslept here
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 12:10pm

      Thumbs UP!~ very funny, but true!

      Report Post »  
    • mike_trivisonno
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 12:13pm

      Astute. It amazing that gigantic governments and banks can keep track of each and every single penny, every move, every thought we have and somehow we are to believe that all this info has come to light through the efforts of some computer hackers?

      It is all yet another scam. WIkileaks is a scam. Assange a broken tool compromised by sexy communist operatives. They knew Assange had info on their evil plots as well and knew just how to get rid of him…Putin Style.

      It so ridiculously old-fashioned.

      Report Post » mike_trivisonno  
    • Mark
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 2:55pm

      They need to stop using M$ Windows for their servers…

      Report Post » 1TrueOne55  
  • NickDeringer
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 11:55am

    The perfect storm is here.

    It’s all over now.

    Report Post » NickDeringer  
    • ronmorgen
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 12:02pm

      Maybe you’re right, but I’m still waiting for the dollar collaps. That’s going to be a big wave in the perfect storm.

      Report Post » ronmorgen  
  • ronmorgen
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 11:54am

    What’s that Mastercard website address, I’d like to help with the bombardment. I am sooo in favor of a free press. How dare they attack him for using his right to speak and publish the truth.

    ronmorgen  
  • vonryansexpress
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 11:52am

    We need to compile lists of Americans that participate with Wikileaks by creating ‘mirror sites’ or republish the disclosed material in any form.

    The big news entitites are known. We now need to put together a list of all the individuals that support the Assange disclosures and make them known to the public as well.

    Just publish any name at any site including Facebook or Twitter.

    Let’s call it real full disclosure.

    Report Post »  
  • Matthew
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 11:52am

    THis points to the problem of government and journalist mobs. First, WikiLeaks is no different in bottom actions than the New York Times and others that publish stolen or classified infomration. Second, all the emotion aside, the information appears more embarrassing than a security threat, Third, it shows a duplicity of our government on many levels (so the disclosure is a public service), Third, the actions by government to censor companies and media shows their disrespect for our rights, Fifth, this censorship and calls to prosecute, hunt down, and even execute Assange is foolish at best and at worst shows a complete disregard for the facts, the rule of law, our moral values, and worst, shows the pure ignorance of so many public officials that think the U.S. can charge a foreigner in a foreign land with treason against the U.S. Incredible.

    Anyway, we got legitimized hacking of people trying to take down WikiLeaks, even the government encouraging it. Now, we get the response, people taking down our companies, Web sites, etc. This is rediculous but looks like the wild west that the Internet will be for a bit.

    Why is there not more focue on Pvt. Manning, his homosexual activist group that he apparently conspired with to steal and disclose for in protesting DADT in the military? Manning has been quietly in jail for months. Nothing further mentioned. Is the media and government afraid this might show homosexual behavior and fervor trumped patriotism? Who else is involved anyway? Were these state department docs really accessible on the SIPRnet? I’ve read reports that they were not and that Manning may not have had access from his military computers. Forget Assange, he’s just the messenger.

    Report Post » Matthew  
    • wcsmithiii
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 12:44pm

      You raise the question that has been on my mind for a long time. Is OUR government hiding something else from us? Since when is a PFC placed in a position where he/she would have access to classified material of any kind? Why do you figure this is in retaliation for DADT? I haven’t seen that anywhere else. There is definitely more to this story than ANY media is telling. Is this the medias fault or OUR government? If you have an answer I sure would like to hear it and I’m sure there are others in this country who are of the same mind

      Report Post »  
    • ann82
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 2:47pm

      I have read about the PFC’s frustration with DADT as part of his motivation to undermine the govt. It was also reported that he was upset that he was sent to get coffee and other mundane tasks when he thought he was destined for greater things. What frustrates me about this idiot is that he had dual citizenship with G Britain. He had grown up there with his mom and only moved to the US to live with his dad for about 2 yrs before enlisting. He could have gone back to his home country and joined their military if it was that important to him that everyone acknowledge his sexual practices.

      Report Post »  
    • Mark
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 2:52pm

      You have hit the nail on the head. Somebody else could have some fingers in this pie. Even George Soros since his lawyer for OSI is defending Assange. This looks like a setup to create Hate and Discontent and lead to unrest in the US. Since most of the people are addicted to credit and if you have a lack of access to credit then you could get angry people…

      This is right out of Soros’s playbook in taking down a financial rival for profit…

      Report Post » 1TrueOne55  
  • TXPilot
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 11:44am

    Hmm….let me see….Mastercard maybe goes down…….my wife cant use her credit card…….the in-laws don’t get their presents……..I keep my money………yep….no problems here!

    Report Post » TXPilot  
    • NoName22
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 12:45pm

      ^Hahahaha, optimism at it’s finest.

      Report Post »  
    • GulfPeg
      Posted on December 9, 2010 at 6:28am

      Well, this isn’t funny! The Internet is going to be ruined thanks to this moron Wikileaks fool!

      Report Post »  
  • MontanaRob
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 11:32am

    Here it comes!

    The revolt is beginning in earnest. Our services and lives will be permanently disrupted, frustration will set in, and upheaval will fill the streets.

    Shortly after the 2008 elections, an acquintance of mine was celebrating Obama’s election. I asked him what he was celebrating. He replied “the cleansing of the political process”. I laughed, he did not take that kindly. I then commented that “Obama would be the last President of these United States”. He laughed and called me crazy.

    Last night he called me for the first time in 2 years and said “You know, I’ve realized that you were probably right”. I pointed him to this site and told him to watch what was really happening. I expect a call soon to confirm my unfortunate prognostication.

    Report Post » MontanaRob  
  • imareader
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 11:28am

    OT/.. It’s On:Senate DREAM Act cloture vote today, 4pm Eastern..This bill is a nightmare.
    “Now is the time to melt those phone lines and make yourselves heard on the multi-billion-dollar DREAM Act illegal alien student bailout”…
    SEN. JOHN MCCAIN 202-224-2235; 480-897-6289
    SEN. OLYMPIA SNOWE 202-224-5344; 207-874-0883
    SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI 202-224-6665; 907-271-3735
    SEN. SUSAN COLLINS 202-224-2523; 207-945-0417
    SEN. SAM BROWNBACK 202-224-6521; 785-233-2503
    more info here:
    link: MM
    http://michellemalkin.com/2010/12/08/senate-dream-act-cloture-vote-today-4pm-eastern/

    Report Post »  
  • sean_m.
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 11:24am

    Bunch of sheep that stand for nothing.

    Report Post »  
  • GEW
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 11:23am

    Mm..let me try and understand this. Hackers by any other name are breaking the law. It is not censorship that they are engaging in, but lawbreaking? So if we take their deeds as in crashing Master Card and apply it to our Wiki Leaks fellow, we can then assume they understand that breaking the law is “censorship”? Help me here please,

    Two wrongs make a right here??

    Report Post » GEW  
    • ronmorgen
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 11:48am

      They are resisting tyrany, I’m in favor of that. Were the founding fathers “breaking the law” when they rebelled against the tyrany of Engand.

      Report Post » ronmorgen  
    • snowleopard3200 {mix art}
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 1:19pm

      I guess ultimately with this case of the hacking, it will be the reasons of why it was done. What is the motivation – greed, theft, or otherwise? In the case of say, a terror attack being launched on the internet at US or allied targets, to stop it would be one thing; otherwise, I figure you take it on a case by case basis.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • canuck44
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 9:25pm

      Hackers, spammers and virus writers are all of the same ilk….Internet criminals perpetuating theft, fraud and intentional destruction of property.
      The current justice system is impotent and we need to revert to our more ancient methods…open season with reward dead, alive or merely mutilated.

      Report Post »  
  • NoName22
    Posted on December 8, 2010 at 11:18am

    Does anyone else see the Christ-like theme?????

    Wikileaks has plenty of information, they do not need Assange anymore. He’s gone and sacrificed himself, and now he’s gained a ton of followers and support over the internet.

    I‘ll know that it’s for a good cause when he stops targeting strictly the U.S. and gets information from other countries.

    Report Post »  
    • Konservative PUNK
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 11:28am

      What are you suggesting?

      Report Post » Konservative PUNK  
    • MrButcher
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 11:28am

      I’m with you on the last point, Noname22.

      I’m holding out on reputing wikileaks until more is known. So far, I think they have A.) Justified the invasion of Iraq B.) Justified a future invasion of Iran C.) Shown China to be an out-right enemy of the United States D.) Connected China to both North Korea and Iran’s nuclear plans.

      If that is an act of an “enemy combatant” then who’s side are you on?

      But, still, these waters are murky and the arguement that this inhibits communication with off-the-record sources is very true.

      We still need to wait and see…

      Report Post » MrButcher  
    • Konservative PUNK
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 11:42am

      Agreed Butcher. The jury is still out on this one. We love when truth is laid bare so long as the innocent are not endangered. Wikileaks may turn out to be a good thing in the end, although the PFC and his cohorts who leaked them should still be prosecuted.

      Report Post » Konservative PUNK  
    • MrButcher
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 12:17pm

      agreed on the leakers.

      I think Assange is in way over his head with only a vague idea of purpose. Does he want to neuter just the United States gov’t or all governments of the world with the impossible and utopian goal of making ALL information public domain? Pfft!

      I’m currently exchanging e-mails with a friend who grew up in the soviet blok, currently lives in Australia and is highly active in Leftist Global Politik (in a diluted fanatical way) who thinks Assange is just the bees knees.
      She finds it so incriminating that Mrs. Clinton ordered diplomats to aquire info on UN delegates (CC #, DNA, fingerprints, etc) when, in fact, this is common practice for all international political players. Our corrospondence contines, hopefully I can get some good info out of her.

      There is definatly a “war” going on over this guy that isn’t being played out publicly.

      Keep your eyes peeled and read EVERYTHING you can find about this subject.

      Report Post » MrButcher  
    • @leftfighter
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 12:35pm

      Entirely disagree. Yes, it’s nice to know that we were justified in the A, B, C, & D above, but outside of the yapping chihuhuas on the Left, nobody seriously questioned any of this because we all knew all of this via official and unofficial sources.

      The fact is, WE haven’t learned anything new via wikileaks, except that the government told us the truth, despite the afore mentioned chihuahuas.

      Now, What has THE ENEMY learned?

      A. What civillians we’ve worked with (AKA a must kill list),
      B. What arab nations’ leaders have cooperated with us (AKA a must kill list)
      C. The exact location of our nuclear weapons arsenals (AKA a must hit list)
      D. The exact location of our communications nodes (AKA a must hit list)
      E. …

      I could go on, but I think we can all agree that the only people learning anything are the enemy.

      Yes, transparency is all fine and good when left to empty presidential campaign promises. The release of State secrets to make the structure of the intelligence field smaller, less responsive, and less efficient for the sole intent of creating anarchy (Assange’s stated intent) is not now, nor will it ever be, a good thing.

      A less responsive, less efficient, “dumber” intelligence field that was not communicating was the major factor in why 9/11 was pulled off rather than stopped, in the first place!

      Assange? Fry the bastard. Throw him in a small, padded cell for the rest of his natural life.

      Bradley? The Constitutionally authorized maximum punishment for treason is a great fit, as far as I’m concerned. Read that to mean, “throw him in a small, padded cell until the end of his prematurely shortened life,” if you like.

      Report Post » @leftfighter  
    • independentvoteril
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 12:36pm

      ronmorgen..Good point

      Report Post » independentvoteril  
    • MrButcher
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 12:43pm

      Touche’, leftfighter.

      Report Post » MrButcher  
    • NoName22
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 12:47pm

      @Konservative Punk

      Just suggesting the theme, not the actual embodiment although after reading @LeftFighter’s post, I’m inclined to change my premise on that………….

      Report Post »  
    • snowleopard3200 {mix art}
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 1:06pm

      @leftfighter

      Agree with you on all parts; wikileaks is soon to go the way of the dinosaurs.

      http://www.artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • BMartin1776
      Posted on December 8, 2010 at 1:29pm

      Hackers of the world UNITE!!

      This is something I warned about a over the last few mos that if net neutrality was pushed we would see the hackers step in because… the net is their playground and they allow us to dwell here! Granted Wiki has nothing to do with net neutrality but what was the headline I saw “You’ll Have To Shut The Web Down To Stop Us”. This Wiki thing is the ammo the govt needs to take over the net. Its provides a crisis they need to seize power over the net and to censor it as we have all seen with the recent FCC headlines.

      IMO this attack is a shot over the bow by hackers sending a message to the powers that be. Dont be surprised one day you go to hop on the net to see whats going on and nothing works. I personally had that eye opener the other day when I had no net access or TV service (both due to outages) that could happen although unlikely but it could. Think about the information blackout we would have no clue whats going on! Would you believe what you would hear on the radio?

      GB jokes about getting a HAM radio and mimeograph after yesterday and this example I no longer am taking that lightly. This Wiki thing is a bigger deal than I think some are taking it not b/c of the info release but b/c of the act of the release. Perfect storm is here guys……..

      http://www.savingtherepublic.com

      Report Post » BMartin1776  
1 2

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now
Restoring Love