13 ms·

Anonymous hacks FEMA

104 points by dhruvkaran 13y ago

deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
zalzane 13y ago
Great, exactly what this situation needs, a bunch of self-righteous vigilantes trying to evangelize themselves with another leak. At least Snowden held back any state secrets that would have seriously compromised national security. I highly doubt that anonymous will be light handed in that matter. All we can do is hope they haven't found any information that may put people's lives at risk if leaked.
- bargl 13y ago
  I agree with you 100% I think that the difference between Anonymous and Edward is that he was public with his identity, and has (IMHO) held back information that is detrimental to the security of the USA. This seems to be an attempt to stay in the spotlight so they can get their message out. And we are gaining traction from the NSA leaks, I hope that the attack by Anonymous doesn't negatively affect our forward movement through open and above board activist groups.
  - sliverstorm 13y ago
    This seems to be an attempt to stay in the spotlight so they can get their message out. I'm less optimistic than you. It seems to me like an attempt to stay in the spotlight so they can assuage their own egos.
    - bargl 13y ago
      Well said, I was trying to be a little too PC. I don't particularly like their methods or ego either. Something about this attack feels... "wrong" to me. Like a petulant child who is angry and lashing out, rather than a concerned citizen who is attempting to do the right thing at the cost of his own welfare. It's a mighty fine line though.
  - e3pi 13y ago
    >...information that is detrimental to the security of the USA. "...A few months following the “successful” exercise in cyberattack response, FEMA Chief of Staff Jason McNamara joined Obsidian Analysis as vice president. For the hackers, the quick switch from the public sector to a closely associated private contractor was enough to raise suspicions of collusion. Anonymous alleges that McNamara’s transition to the private sector is evidence of a profit-driven motive for the escalation of cyber warfare. " If the underlying suspicious implication is true, it is these revolving door collusions for profit abusing the public trust and federal budget theft, that are seriously threatening. It can only snowball without any oversight. If more than just scree smoke, I welcome anyone, anons, script-kiddies, whomever, to expose these potential cases of alleged abuse of this potentially unchecked escalating corruption.
- fixxer 13y ago
  What really interesting state secrets does FEMA have? This strikes me as vandalism more than a threat to national security.
  - quantumpotato_ 13y ago
    See also: anonymous as a false flag operation to enact tighter "security" measures
    - deleted 13y ago
      [deleted]
    - deleted 13y ago
      [deleted]
  - samstave 13y ago
    Well, some would have you believe that all the secret FEMA camp locations, and body bags, are there to detain large numbers of US citizens during times of unrest. With the DHS purchasing billions of rounds of ammo, thousands of MRAPs etc - people are worried that the government is specifically gearing up and preparing for civil unrest.
    - eli 13y ago
      Sure, the same people who think flouride is a communist mind control plot.
      - samstave 13y ago
        Yeah the exact same, good to see you're not one of them.
  - rbc 13y ago
    I'll guess it was because they are part of DHS and easy prey. Other than that it's kind of silly. FEMA is a federal backstop for state and local governments during disaster situations. I think anonymous picked the wrong agency.
- obituary_latte 13y ago
  Doubt it will be a leak. More likely just another long list of someuser@some.mil:somehash entries. edit: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6065248 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6065248 They have the passwords.
speeder 13y ago
To those that detract anonymous as a sort of rabid crazy dog that charges into attack without aim... I think that is EXACTLY their intention, like the US government puts crazy pressure in Snowden as a "warning" to future whistle blowers, anons are using the same tactic against US government itself... If it works or not, I am yet to see, but I can agree with two things: One, it might make sense. Two, it is highly dangerous and might cause lots of unintended collateral damage.
- bargl 13y ago
  My worry is that I think it is premature to abandon our legal methods to fight back against government tyranny and the abuse of the constitution. I know that is exactly what Snowden has done (in some ways) but he also had restraint and wasn't attempting to harm the US. By engaging in war (which is what the administration will see this as) they could undercut all the work that other activists are doing. But like you I can see another possibility, one where this is necessary and the only way the US will get the message. But I feel it is more likely a option 2 Two, it is highly dangerous and might cause lots of unintended collateral damage.
  - surge 13y ago
    Well, there were at least two guys from the NSA who blew the whistle before, the legal way, and it got them a whole heap of trouble and nothing came of it in the media. So far, going outside the law seems to be the only tactic that garners any attention.
    - dwild 13y ago
      Who are they?
  - harrytuttle 13y ago
    If you look at the UK as a prime example, all hope of legally destroying the tyranny has been lost thanks to the various terrorism related laws that have been introduced. The same is true of the US as well now thanks to the ability to detain people on suspicion indefinitely. The legal system is beyond repair. Revolution has been destroyed too as the very act of promoting or discussing it is terrorism under law and people will just be locked up before they have a chance to express or organise. Our modern communication infrastructure supports this outcome. The best thing we now hope for is to survive in quiet obedience or await for a natural disaster to shift the balance.
MisterWebz 13y ago
I'm wondering if highly publicized attacks by Anonymous that do not yield any useful information or something that would be embarrassing for the government are actually done by regular citizens, and not by the employees of some government agency.
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
bdg 13y ago
With the passwords on this list like "gibbs", "campbell", "Dominican2009!", and... my personal favorite... "Password12" ... I don't even have sympathy towards this situation. Such incompetence at security with such importance attached to it should result in prison time and a life-time banishment from office...
- mzs 13y ago
  There was even password and smith .
- afarrell 13y ago
  How much sympathy do you have to parents whose homes get broken into who used poor-quality locks on their front doors. After all is it not their responsibility to provide for a safe home for their kids? Sigh... I suppose the victim blaming is a necessary consequence of a community that actually thinks about how to defend against attacks...
  - bdg 13y ago
    Are you unable to see the differences between buying a lock on a door to protect your children and being constantly reminded to pick a secure password to protect national security?
kunai 13y ago
I tried to take them seriously until they mentioned Weev as one of their idols.
- phaemon 13y ago
  Now that's interesting: the article doesn't mention Weev at all...where did that come from?
- bitwize 13y ago
  Where TF have you been? weev has always been one of anon's spiritual leaders. Hell, his tactics are probably the template for the sort of griefing, trolling, and hacking we associate with anon.
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
grimtrigger 13y ago
Anon reminds me of the bomb-throwing-anarchists of the 20th century. Their bombings gave the government the exact reasons they needed for more government (the exact opposite of what they wanted). Anon wants an internet free of surveillance. But they're doing exactly what they need to in order to justify that reality. Idiots.
- merlincorey 13y ago
  See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_flag http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_flag Now who is the idiot?
  - krapp 13y ago
    Why the assumption that this must be a false flag operation? It makes just as much sense taken at face value.
    - lukifer 13y ago
      It's why Anonymous is ill-suited to go after government and intelligence agencies: it's trivial to infiltrate, and there is effectively zero way to tell who is actually behind any particular action.
      - krapp 13y ago
        it's trivial to infiltrate, and there is effectively zero way to tell who is actually behind any particular action. That is kind of the point, but you are right in that Anonymous' nature works against lending much credence to their motives.
gweinberg 13y ago
I'm no fan on Anonymous, but it's worth remembering that any security hole that they can exploit can also be exploited by other, more malicious groups, and probably already has been.
lettergram 13y ago
I pretty much see anonymous as the black panthers of this generation.

104 points by dhruvkaran 13y ago

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]

Great, exactly what this situation needs, a bunch of self-righteous vigilantes trying to evangelize themselves with another leak. At least Snowden held back any state secrets that would have seriously compromised national security. I highly doubt that anonymous will be light handed in that matter. All we can do is hope they haven't found any information that may put people's lives at risk if leaked.

bargl 13y ago
I agree with you 100% I think that the difference between Anonymous and Edward is that he was public with his identity, and has (IMHO) held back information that is detrimental to the security of the USA. This seems to be an attempt to stay in the spotlight so they can get their message out. And we are gaining traction from the NSA leaks, I hope that the attack by Anonymous doesn't negatively affect our forward movement through open and above board activist groups.
- sliverstorm 13y ago
  This seems to be an attempt to stay in the spotlight so they can get their message out. I'm less optimistic than you. It seems to me like an attempt to stay in the spotlight so they can assuage their own egos.
  - bargl 13y ago
    Well said, I was trying to be a little too PC. I don't particularly like their methods or ego either. Something about this attack feels... "wrong" to me. Like a petulant child who is angry and lashing out, rather than a concerned citizen who is attempting to do the right thing at the cost of his own welfare. It's a mighty fine line though.
- e3pi 13y ago
  >...information that is detrimental to the security of the USA. "...A few months following the “successful” exercise in cyberattack response, FEMA Chief of Staff Jason McNamara joined Obsidian Analysis as vice president. For the hackers, the quick switch from the public sector to a closely associated private contractor was enough to raise suspicions of collusion. Anonymous alleges that McNamara’s transition to the private sector is evidence of a profit-driven motive for the escalation of cyber warfare. " If the underlying suspicious implication is true, it is these revolving door collusions for profit abusing the public trust and federal budget theft, that are seriously threatening. It can only snowball without any oversight. If more than just scree smoke, I welcome anyone, anons, script-kiddies, whomever, to expose these potential cases of alleged abuse of this potentially unchecked escalating corruption.
fixxer 13y ago
What really interesting state secrets does FEMA have? This strikes me as vandalism more than a threat to national security.
- quantumpotato_ 13y ago
  See also: anonymous as a false flag operation to enact tighter "security" measures
  - deleted 13y ago
    [deleted]
  - deleted 13y ago
    [deleted]
- samstave 13y ago
  Well, some would have you believe that all the secret FEMA camp locations, and body bags, are there to detain large numbers of US citizens during times of unrest. With the DHS purchasing billions of rounds of ammo, thousands of MRAPs etc - people are worried that the government is specifically gearing up and preparing for civil unrest.
  - eli 13y ago
    Sure, the same people who think flouride is a communist mind control plot.
    - samstave 13y ago
      Yeah the exact same, good to see you're not one of them.
- rbc 13y ago
  I'll guess it was because they are part of DHS and easy prey. Other than that it's kind of silly. FEMA is a federal backstop for state and local governments during disaster situations. I think anonymous picked the wrong agency.
obituary_latte 13y ago
Doubt it will be a leak. More likely just another long list of someuser@some.mil:somehash entries. edit: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6065248 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6065248 They have the passwords.

speeder 13y ago

To those that detract anonymous as a sort of rabid crazy dog that charges into attack without aim... I think that is EXACTLY their intention, like the US government puts crazy pressure in Snowden as a "warning" to future whistle blowers, anons are using the same tactic against US government itself... If it works or not, I am yet to see, but I can agree with two things: One, it might make sense. Two, it is highly dangerous and might cause lots of unintended collateral damage.

bargl 13y ago
My worry is that I think it is premature to abandon our legal methods to fight back against government tyranny and the abuse of the constitution. I know that is exactly what Snowden has done (in some ways) but he also had restraint and wasn't attempting to harm the US. By engaging in war (which is what the administration will see this as) they could undercut all the work that other activists are doing. But like you I can see another possibility, one where this is necessary and the only way the US will get the message. But I feel it is more likely a option 2 Two, it is highly dangerous and might cause lots of unintended collateral damage.
- surge 13y ago
  Well, there were at least two guys from the NSA who blew the whistle before, the legal way, and it got them a whole heap of trouble and nothing came of it in the media. So far, going outside the law seems to be the only tactic that garners any attention.
  - dwild 13y ago
    Who are they?
- harrytuttle 13y ago
  If you look at the UK as a prime example, all hope of legally destroying the tyranny has been lost thanks to the various terrorism related laws that have been introduced. The same is true of the US as well now thanks to the ability to detain people on suspicion indefinitely. The legal system is beyond repair. Revolution has been destroyed too as the very act of promoting or discussing it is terrorism under law and people will just be locked up before they have a chance to express or organise. Our modern communication infrastructure supports this outcome. The best thing we now hope for is to survive in quiet obedience or await for a natural disaster to shift the balance.

MisterWebz 13y ago

I'm wondering if highly publicized attacks by Anonymous that do not yield any useful information or something that would be embarrassing for the government are actually done by regular citizens, and not by the employees of some government agency.

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]

bdg 13y ago

With the passwords on this list like "gibbs", "campbell", "Dominican2009!", and... my personal favorite... "Password12" ... I don't even have sympathy towards this situation. Such incompetence at security with such importance attached to it should result in prison time and a life-time banishment from office...

mzs 13y ago
There was even password and smith .
afarrell 13y ago
How much sympathy do you have to parents whose homes get broken into who used poor-quality locks on their front doors. After all is it not their responsibility to provide for a safe home for their kids? Sigh... I suppose the victim blaming is a necessary consequence of a community that actually thinks about how to defend against attacks...
- bdg 13y ago
  Are you unable to see the differences between buying a lock on a door to protect your children and being constantly reminded to pick a secure password to protect national security?

kunai 13y ago

I tried to take them seriously until they mentioned Weev as one of their idols.

phaemon 13y ago
Now that's interesting: the article doesn't mention Weev at all...where did that come from?
bitwize 13y ago
Where TF have you been? weev has always been one of anon's spiritual leaders. Hell, his tactics are probably the template for the sort of griefing, trolling, and hacking we associate with anon.

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]

grimtrigger 13y ago

Anon reminds me of the bomb-throwing-anarchists of the 20th century. Their bombings gave the government the exact reasons they needed for more government (the exact opposite of what they wanted). Anon wants an internet free of surveillance. But they're doing exactly what they need to in order to justify that reality. Idiots.

merlincorey 13y ago
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_flag http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_flag Now who is the idiot?
- krapp 13y ago
  Why the assumption that this must be a false flag operation? It makes just as much sense taken at face value.
  - lukifer 13y ago
    It's why Anonymous is ill-suited to go after government and intelligence agencies: it's trivial to infiltrate, and there is effectively zero way to tell who is actually behind any particular action.
    - krapp 13y ago
      it's trivial to infiltrate, and there is effectively zero way to tell who is actually behind any particular action. That is kind of the point, but you are right in that Anonymous' nature works against lending much credence to their motives.

gweinberg 13y ago

I'm no fan on Anonymous, but it's worth remembering that any security hole that they can exploit can also be exploited by other, more malicious groups, and probably already has been.

lettergram 13y ago

I pretty much see anonymous as the black panthers of this generation.