Fine Gael's website hacked

Mark200

RonMexico wrote: »

Some Fine Gael Senator on RTE there trying to link this to wikileaks.

'Anonymous' is the group that has targeted websites of organisations that have tried to stop wikileaks. For example: the American Government., Visa, Mastercard, Paypal, etc.

TheZohanS

There is a major discrepancy here:

Fine Gael has confirmed that the contact details of just under 2,000 people were compromised in the attack on its website last night.

An Evening Herald journalist has claimed on social networking website Twitter that he has been sent the details of 4,000 users of the Fine Gael website following the attack.

Hmm...who to believe...

Genghiz Cohen

Mark200 wrote: »

'Anonymous' is the group that has targeted websites of organisations that have tried to stop wikileaks. For example: the American Government., Visa, Mastercard, Paypal, etc.

Group implys a leader or some form of hierarchy.

First Post

Mark200 wrote: »

'Anonymous' is the group that has targeted websites of organisations that have tried to stop wikileaks. For example: the American Government., Visa, Mastercard, Paypal, etc.

"Anonymous" is not a group. It's a hacker sub-culture.

Genghiz Cohen

TheZohan wrote: »

There is a major discrepancy here:






Hmm...who to believe...

The people trying to cover their asses Vs. The people trying to sell you a story.
Genuinely a tough choice!

dsmythy

TheZohan wrote: »

There is a major discrepancy here:






Hmm...who to believe...

It's a toughie. Believe the politician or the tabloid.

Mark200

Genghiz Cohen wrote: »

Group implys a leader or some form of hierarchy.

No it doesn't. You can have a group of friends without having a leader in it.

Mark200

First Post wrote: »

"Anonymous" is not a group. It's a hacker sub-culture.

Fair enough. My mistake!

TheZohan wrote: »

There is a major discrepancy here:


Hmm...who to believe...

The discrepancy is down to people submitting more than one comment. I believe there were 4,000 different comments but only 2,000 individual users.

The journalist tweeted that Paul Gogarty's contact details are on there.... IE, he submitted at least one comment...

Can't tell if he was joking or not..

http://twitter.com/#!/KevDoyle_Herald/status/24453848152145920

Belfast

site now says

The Fine Gael website was professionally hacked on the evening of January 9th by an entity calling themselves the Anonymous Group.

The Anonymous Group has been associated with the Wikileaks investigation and attacks on companies such as Visa, Mastercard, and Amazon.


The website will be offline while we follow-up with the appropriate authorities to resolve the matter.


We thank you for your continued support for Fine Gael. If you have any feedback please to send it to emma@finegael2011.com

Johnny Bitte

Any screen shots of it?

yoyo

The_Goose135 wrote: »

Any screen shots of it?

http://www.politics.ie/fine-gael/147669-fine-gaels-new-website-appears-have-been-hacked.html

Theres a picture here of it!

Nick

bobbytables

What really annoys me is that such highly paid people can get away with saying things such as the site was “absolutely secure” (recently by a Fine Gael spokesman). There is no such thing as “absolutely secure”. “absolutely secure” is what marketing teams throw out there to meet the expectations of the naive, so they can convert more sales for security products/services.

I am a software developer, but have an academic research background in security (though it's been a few years). The reality is that efforts can be made to make systems "more secure", not "absolute secure" or even "secure" against an individual unknown. Security is a never ending process, not turn key solution. If someone wants to get something, and is determined they will eventually succeed. We don't throw infinite resources at the security process, so we don't get infinite security.

So my advice to political parties as they start to increase their use of technology in their campaigns is not to have spokespeople come out with stupid statements like “absolutely secure”, you'll only give those with malicious intent and determination an incentive to focus on you.

Ireland is also full of highly qualified technical professions who understand the platforms, services, technologies & in many regards the respective costs involved, so specifically in this regard don't have a spokesperson treat the nation like we haven't a clue about this stuff.

Just Be Honest.

RoundyMooney

TheZohan wrote: »

There is a major discrepancy here:

Hmm...who to believe...

4000 messages, later clarified to come from 2000 authors.

One of whom was named by the reporter as Paul Gogarty TD.

rosco p coltrane

Hi there,

Just for your information.

Fine Gael's domain name is now registered as finegael2011.com and for next year it's also registered, finegael2012.com, but after that they are available



Nice forward planning !!

Belfast

screen shot

liah

Eh, why would Anonymous waste time with the Fine Gael website?

My name is URL

liah wrote: »

Eh, why would Anonymous waste time with the Fine Gael website?

I reckon it's down to the changes made to the site recently and the privacy concerns which were raised a few days ago, which FG denied were an issue.

However, the Fine Gael spokesman said that data on the site was “absolutely secure”

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0108/1224287043463.html

liah

My name is URL wrote: »

I reckon it's down to the changes made to the site recently and the privacy concerns which were raised a few days ago, which FG denied were an issue.




http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0108/1224287043463.html

Still sounds very unlike Anonymous to be attacking an Irish political party that isn't even currently in office. The Anonymous I know tends to go for slightly bigger fish in an effort to make international media.

I don't mean to insult Ireland, but I can't see why the Fine Gael website would be that high on their list of priorities, even with the 'security concerns' detailed. None of it is particularly important to anything ongoing in the world of international politics. (Again, no offense meant, it's just that Anonymous tends to target the big players, and as lovely as Ireland is, it's not exactly a world power or any kind of threat).

There has to be more to it, either that or it's not the real Anonymous, or there's an Irish person who has a pet hate for Fine Gael in the upper ranks..

Seloth

Would people stop thinking of them as a organized group...At most it in several friends at most in diffrent "Cells".

The group doesn't exist truly,only doing things in its name does.Thats why its brilliant!

Two people took credit for it,so more than likely it just two Irish lads doing it in the name of them.

liah

Ah right, didn't notice the signatures.

StaticNoise

From what it appears, the two hackers are gaming fans.
If, from my searches, it's the same person, they have mentioned in an online forum some strong political beliefs, regarding taxation and the death penalty.

Seloth

I saw the same myself.Well if it is them then they are quite literally idiots.Not for the attack but for actually naming themselves if they are active on forums with those names.

If we found it by simple google search then I'm sure the Guards(And the FBI as RTE stated as well)) will have no problem :pac:.

I wonder if theres any chatter on 4chan about it.

Killer Pigeon

Lukker- wrote: »

http://finegael2011.com/

Fine Gael's website has been hacked by the infamous group of internet hacktivists Anonymous.

Fine Gael obviously broke Rule 1 and 2. If so the attack is perfectly justified.

storm2811

Seloth wrote: »

I saw the same myself.Well if it is them then they are quite literally idiots.Not for the attack but for actually naming themselves if they are active on forums with those names.

If we found it by simple google search then I'm sure the Guards(And the FBI as RTE stated as well)) will have no problem :pac:.

I wonder if theres any chatter on 4chan about it.

Nope, was just looking and seems they have no idea what happened, like they're not even aware what happened.
Say it was just two fellas who did it or something.

StaticNoise

Seloth wrote: »

I saw the same myself.Well if it is them then they are quite literally idiots.Not for the attack but for actually naming themselves if they are active on forums with those names.

If we found it by simple google search then I'm sure the Guards(And the FBI as RTE stated as well)) will have no problem :pac:.

I wonder if theres any chatter on 4chan about it.

No talk on 4Chan, and the /b/tards are quite silent overall. I wouldn't be surprised if some Anons (Moot?) may state that it wasn't a campaign. Like, AnonOps make no target or statement, IRC is quiet on the topic and in general the issue is only really being chatted about in Ireland.

Perhaps Fine Gael will keep shouting the Anonymous card because they want things to look really big and strong, setting aside the fact that the site was, apparently, badly made.

I'll keep an eye on 4Chan and the other hangouts. But, even in IRC nothing is going on.
However, be aware, the gear offered on the forum in question seems to be pretty strong for doing some work. With some of the software on the site (albeit, many "Youtube subscriber" bots), you could do some work.

One comment says to the potential hacker says that they are good as backtracing- an IP search. Linked, I wonder?

TheReverend

StaticNoise wrote: »

No talk on 4Chan, and the /b/tards are quite silent overall. I wouldn't be surprised if some Anons (Moot?) may state that it wasn't a campaign. Like, AnonOps make no target or statement, IRC is quiet on the topic and in general the issue is only really being chatted about in Ireland.

Perhaps Fine Gael will keep shouting the Anonymous card because they want things to look really big and strong, setting aside the fact that the site was, apparently, badly made.

I'll keep an eye on 4Chan and the other hangouts. But, even in IRC nothing is going on.
However, be aware, the gear offered on the forum in question seems to be pretty strong for doing some work. With some of the software on the site (albeit, many "Youtube subscriber" bots), you could do some work.

One comment says to the potential hacker says that they are good as backtracing- an IP search. Linked, I wonder?

lol backtracing :P

Peanut

Consequences will never be the same.

TheReverend

They dun goofed?

Dermot Illogical

Danbo! wrote: »

Give it a sec... Ah, there it is, a tiny insignifigant piece of info. If you're going to go to all that trouble (maybe it was easy, but a gardai investigation will probably follow) add something better.

Why would the Gardai investigate some script-kiddie's defacement of a US website?

Is it possible that this was actually an attack by Fine Gael themselves to get more publicity and to play the victim card?

TheReverend

Deleted User wrote: »

Is it possible that this was actually an attack by Fine Gael themselves to get more publicity and to play the victim card?

not really, wouldnt help them, they wouldnt make themselves look weak on purpose

TheReverend

TheReverend wrote: »

not really, wouldnt help them, they wouldnt make themselves look weak on purpose

It's just strange that, as StaticNoise has mentioned, there doesn't seem to be any chatter about it. Usually Anonymous would be upfront about their attacks, wouldn't they?

My name is URL

Deleted User wrote: »

It's just strange that, as StaticNoise has mentioned, there doesn't seem to be any chatter about it. Usually Anonymous would be upfront about their attacks, wouldn't they?

Who is 'they'? It's not some hierarchal group of people who hold board meetings to decide on what actions to take. The "Anonymous" label is just something which people can attach to the reasoning behind carrying out illegal acts.. basically it's nothing more than a wide ranging-collection of people with some basic knowledge and who feel they have a moral fight on their hands.

AnonoBoy

Two lads decide to do it, take the Anonymous name and shove that up on the redirect page to get them a bit more notice.

Why would Anonymous attack the Fine Gael website and then forward the personal details they got from it to The Evening Herald?


I reckon if everyone kept posting how it was just two little nobody script kiddies and how even an 8 year old with learning difficulties could have done what they did then they'll come out of the woodwork stamping their little feet and blowing raspberries at us:

"We iz hackers! We iz l33t hackors!!!!! We iz fightin' da man! We iz not ineffective losers!!!!!! Waaaaahahhhhh!"

StaticNoise

Yeah, its not a group, but still the main, focused guys (and there are those who are HEAVILY involved) would post updates on their twitter, etc. There is an operations website, like for Operation Payback, etc.

Still nothing on Anons IRC.

Nehaxak

Nothing on IRC, nothing on their twitter ( https://twitter.com/anonops ) nothing on their facebook ( http://www.facebook.com/anonops?v=wall ) and nothing on one of their blogsites ( http://anonops.blogspot.com/ )

Might just have been a flag of convenience by someone else to say it was Anonymous and mashed up that way on that page put up during the hack, or kids running a simple script across the hosting company taking advantage of unpatched services rather than just FG's site in particular.

Would've been better anyway if they hosted in Ireland, plenty of hosting companies here would've taken their business.

cian1500ww

It wouldn't be the first time that anonymous attacked an irish website http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056082026

Normally if it's a proper operation there's flyers made...

AnonoBoy

cian1500ww wrote: »

It wouldn't be the first time that anonymous attacked an irish website http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056082026

Normally if it's a proper operation there's flyers made...

Yeah but infact are anti-piracy which would go against the whole Anonymous vibe wouldn't it?

Fine Gael are hardly a likely target for anyone outside of Ireland, are they?

TheReverend

My name is URL wrote: »

Who is 'they'? It's not some hierarchal group of people who hold board meetings to decide on what actions to take. The "Anonymous" label is just something which people can attach to the reasoning behind carrying out illegal acts.. basically it's nothing more than a wide ranging-collection of people with some basic knowledge and who feel they have a moral fight on their hands.

They are anon, usually when something like the happenes, the boards are full of threads about it, irc is chatting about it, but with this nothing, probably just two guys who did it just because they could.

professore

bobbytables wrote: »

Just Be Honest.

HELLLOOOO ???? They're POLITICIANS. It's genetically impossible for them.

cian1500ww

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Yeah but infact are anti-piracy which would go against the whole Anonymous vibe wouldn't it?

Fine Gael are hardly a likely target for anyone outside of Ireland, are they?

If it was members of anonymous then it was more than likely done on a whim, all it takes is a few people with a similar target in mind to get something going. There's bound to be any amount of unofficial attacks carried out by anon's members seeing as there really is no hierarchy in the group.

AnonoBoy

cian1500ww wrote: »

If it was members of anonymous then it was more than likely done on a whim, all it takes is a few people with a similar target in mind to get something going. There's bound to be any amount of unofficial attacks carried out by anon's members seeing as there really is no hierarchy in the group.

Perhaps - to be honest I'd suspect it's a few script kiddies from Ireland who think they're l33t.

(Did I say that right? L33t?)

Also forwarding the details to The Evening Herald? Something awfully parochial about that.

StaticNoise

What pisses me off the most is the fact that we've all recognised what's really going on, how (more than likely) it's people operating under the moniker "Anonymous", how they have already been recognised as amateurs and that they are no way associated with Anonymous, and still, RTÉ and other broadcasters are still stating that Fine Gael have branded them as the Anons.

Even for public interest, they could remark towards these findings.

Owen

The whole Anonymous tieing into Wikileaks is a bit much IMHO. Anonymous were around a lot longer than the Wikileaks debacle, and used to be legendary in annoying Scientologists. Fine Gael trying to compare them to some sort of terrorist group intent on destroying the world using information's a bit lame.

General Zod

for people struggling with the concept

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luther_Blissett_%28nom_de_plume%29


Here's the thing, there never was a "Luther Blissett" group, it's an idea that was created and took legs.

Anon is the same thing. There's no structure, no set core of beliefs, it can act in unison or individually, for a group decided motive or just one guy on a whim.

Secondly, there was no "hacking" of the FG website. What happened is the equivalent of FG leaving a library book outside their front door unprotected and complaining that someone read it.

AnonoBoy

In that case this post was made by Anonymous.


Anono(ymous)Boy.

Lukker-

The message ont he Fine Gael website is pretty embarrissing.

Not a clue.

AhSureTisGrand

Could we say then that Anonymous is more of a movement than a group? Or even just a name for a certain type of hacktivism/trolling?