Just Who Are These Anonymous Guys?

A YouTube video posted last month, and gaining attention this week, allegedly by Anonymous, a collective of politically motivated hackers, warns of the impending take-down of Facebook, the world’s largest social network. The robotic-voiced speaker cites Nov. 5, 2011, as the date of the network’s destruction.

Since news broke about the planned assassination, various Anonymous outlets, via Twitter, have discredited the movement, leading most to assume the video is a hoax. However, later tweets revealed disagreement within the organization.

So, the Facebook hack might still be on, but the organization has failed in attacks before.

With a widespread hodgepodge collective of hackers, the group’s resume is scattered across the globe and at times unconfirmed by the organization. Speculation of its involvements in the London riots, Egyptian government take-down, and hacks of various corporations only add to their Web allure. But, here’s what we do know about this loosely organized un-led group:

* Anonymous emerged after the well-documented fall of WikiLeaks and the subsequent arrest of Julian Assange, attacking those attempting to censor the leaked information.

* This mash-up of hackers and activists gave rise to the newly coined term “hactkivism.”

* Made up of independent cells, the members are found globally.

*Operation Payback was the name for the group’s various hacks of sites linked to WikiLeak’ ‘censorship.

* According to Computer World, a failed hack of Amazon.com in retaliation for its treatment of WikiLeaks took place in December of 2010.

* The hacks claimed by the collective are not necessarily debilitating, mostly comprising DDoS (distributed denial of service) attacks on the homepage of various sites, making access impossible for a period or displaying custom political messages.

* The attacks are politically motivated, stemming from Assange’s belief in Internet freedom.

* Anonymous has not been linked to financially gaining hacks.

* In response to the group’s ban from social network Google+ last month, Anonymous launched its own hacker-friendly network, Anon+. Although it is still in the developing stage, the general idea of the new social media network focuses on more privacy control, according to Philip Brennan .

* In July, Fox News reported that the FBI arrested 16 suspected Anonymous hackers in the United States. 35 search warrants were issued by the Department of Justice.

* According to The Atlantic Wire, hacks of approximately 70 rural law enforcement websites were carried out in response to the arrest of the members; the data obtained in the hack included personal information of more than 300 officers, a handful of credit card numbers, and information on police informants.

* Reuters reported Spanish officials arrested three alleged members of Anonymous in connection to the hacks of Sony Corp. in July.

* The widely publicized Facebook shutdown Nov. 5 is not unanimously agreed upon across the Anonymous board; only a minor sect of members is apparently involved.

* Nov. 5, Guy Fawkes Day, is symbolic to the group and members often don the iconic Guy Fawkes mask.

* Considered a military alliance threat by NATO, Anonymous has successfully hacked various countries’ websites, including: Turkey, Iran, Chili, Libya, Columbia and Egypt.

* The group has been linked to hacks of PayPal, The Church of Scientology, The Syrian Defense Ministry, Gawker, MasterCard, Visa, numerous politicians, law enforcement agencies and NewsCorp.


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