Hackers take down FTC online security portal
The Federal Trade Commission recently became the latest victim of Anonymous' campaign against anti-piracy legislation after the agency's consumer online security portal was breached.
Federal officials became aware of the incident earlier in the week after OnGuardOnline.gov, a site designed to keep consumers abreast of online security developments, went offline. Within hours, members of the notorious cybercriminal collective took to online forums to claim responsibility for the incident and discuss its motives.
Anonymous has continually expressed its opposition to the Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act discussed in the United States, as well as the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement proposed in Europe. In the group's message to the online community, hackers insisted that the FTC attack would only be the tip of the iceberg if lawmakers followed through with internet regulation reforms.
If such a release were triggered, hackers suggested that everything from administrator passwords to executive bank accounts could be leaked. Considering the damages incurred by Anonymous' previous victims, government officials remain on high alert as they determine the extent of unauthorized access.
