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Mastercard 'hit by Anonymous Wikileaks revenge attacks' Mastercard 'hit by Anonymous Wikileaks revenge attacks'
(40 minutes later)
Internet hacktivists are claiming to have brought down the Mastercard website as revenge for the firm withdrawing services to Wikileaks.Internet hacktivists are claiming to have brought down the Mastercard website as revenge for the firm withdrawing services to Wikileaks.
The Anonymous group of hackers have also brought down the website of the Swedish prosecutors office which is pursuing founder Julian Assange.The Anonymous group of hackers have also brought down the website of the Swedish prosecutors office which is pursuing founder Julian Assange.
It has pledged to launch denial-of-service attacks on websites it sees as anti-Wikileaks.It has pledged to launch denial-of-service attacks on websites it sees as anti-Wikileaks.
Earlier it hit the Swiss bank that froze Mr Assange's assets.Earlier it hit the Swiss bank that froze Mr Assange's assets.
PayPal, which has stopped processing donations to Wikileaks, has also been targeted.PayPal, which has stopped processing donations to Wikileaks, has also been targeted.
Anonymous is a loose-knit group of hacktivists, with links to the notorious message board 4chan.Anonymous is a loose-knit group of hacktivists, with links to the notorious message board 4chan.
"We are glad to tell you that Mastercard is down and it's confirmed," the group tweeted."We are glad to tell you that Mastercard is down and it's confirmed," the group tweeted.
Mastercard has not yet spoken out about it but security experts have said the site has been under a so-called distributed denial-of-service attack (DDoS), which swamp a site with so many requests that it becomes overwhelmed, Mastercard said that it had nothing to say about the matter at the time of publication.
However, access appears to be possible intermittently and it is still visible from some countries, experts say. But security experts have said the site has been under a so-called distributed denial-of-service attack (DDoS), which swamp a site with so many page requests that it becomes overwhelmed and drops offline.
Access to the website appears to be possible intermittently and it is still visible from some countries, experts say. It is not clear whether the attacks have affected Mastercard's payment system.
Earlier the group confirmed other targets: "In response to the arrest of Julian Assange, Anonymous has taken down PostFinance.ch, who terminated Wikileaks bank account, using a distributed denial-of-service attack. Subsequently, Anonymous attacked http://www.aklagare.se, the Swedish Prosecutors office, also using a DDoS attack, and took the site down in under 10 seconds of beginning the attack," the group said in a statement.Earlier the group confirmed other targets: "In response to the arrest of Julian Assange, Anonymous has taken down PostFinance.ch, who terminated Wikileaks bank account, using a distributed denial-of-service attack. Subsequently, Anonymous attacked http://www.aklagare.se, the Swedish Prosecutors office, also using a DDoS attack, and took the site down in under 10 seconds of beginning the attack," the group said in a statement.
Noa Bar Yosef, a senior analyst at security firm Imperva said the attacks are "very focused".Noa Bar Yosef, a senior analyst at security firm Imperva said the attacks are "very focused".
"It is recruiting people from within their own network. They are actually asking supporters to download a piece of code, the DDoSing malware, and upon a wake-up call the computer engages in the denial of service," he said."It is recruiting people from within their own network. They are actually asking supporters to download a piece of code, the DDoSing malware, and upon a wake-up call the computer engages in the denial of service," he said.
Increased trafficIncreased traffic
Before the Mastercard attack, a member of Anonymous, who calls himself Coldblood, told the BBC that "multiple things are being done".Before the Mastercard attack, a member of Anonymous, who calls himself Coldblood, told the BBC that "multiple things are being done".
"Websites that are bowing down to government pressure have become targets," he said."Websites that are bowing down to government pressure have become targets," he said.
"As an organisation we have always taken a strong stance on censorship and freedom of expression on the internet and come out against those who seek to destroy it by any means.""As an organisation we have always taken a strong stance on censorship and freedom of expression on the internet and come out against those who seek to destroy it by any means."
"We feel that Wikileaks has become more than just about leaking of documents, it has become a war ground, the people vs. the government," he said."We feel that Wikileaks has become more than just about leaking of documents, it has become a war ground, the people vs. the government," he said.
Some of the early DDoS hits failed to take sites offline, although that was not the point of the attacks, according to Coldblood.Some of the early DDoS hits failed to take sites offline, although that was not the point of the attacks, according to Coldblood.
"The idea is not to wipe them off but to give the companies a wake-up call," he said. "Companies will notice the increase in traffic and an increase in traffic means increase in costs associated with running a website.""The idea is not to wipe them off but to give the companies a wake-up call," he said. "Companies will notice the increase in traffic and an increase in traffic means increase in costs associated with running a website."
DDoS attacks are illegal in many countries, including the UK.DDoS attacks are illegal in many countries, including the UK.
Coldblood admitted that such attacks "may hurt people trying to get to these sites" but said it was "the only effective way to tell these companies that us, the people, are displeased".Coldblood admitted that such attacks "may hurt people trying to get to these sites" but said it was "the only effective way to tell these companies that us, the people, are displeased".
Anonymous is also helping to create hundreds of mirror sites for Wikileaks, after its US domain name provider withdrew its services.Anonymous is also helping to create hundreds of mirror sites for Wikileaks, after its US domain name provider withdrew its services.
Ending contractsEnding contracts
The attacks are part of an ongoing infowar involving Wikileaks.The attacks are part of an ongoing infowar involving Wikileaks.
The whistle-blowing site has also been hit by a series of DDoS attacks, following the release of a quarter of a million US embassy cables.The whistle-blowing site has also been hit by a series of DDoS attacks, following the release of a quarter of a million US embassy cables.
It is unclear who is behind the attacks but it seems that Wikileaks is getting too hot to handle as many of the businesses that work with the site, distance themselves from it.It is unclear who is behind the attacks but it seems that Wikileaks is getting too hot to handle as many of the businesses that work with the site, distance themselves from it.
On 3 December, domain name provider EveryDNS cut off service, citing the denial-of-service attacks as the reason.On 3 December, domain name provider EveryDNS cut off service, citing the denial-of-service attacks as the reason.
Amazon also ended an agreement to host the site, saying Wikileaks failed to adhere to its terms of service.Amazon also ended an agreement to host the site, saying Wikileaks failed to adhere to its terms of service.
It said that Wikileaks was unable to ensure that it "wasn't putting innocent people in jeopardy" by leaking classified documents.It said that Wikileaks was unable to ensure that it "wasn't putting innocent people in jeopardy" by leaking classified documents.
Online payment company, PayPal, has permanently restricted Wikileaks' account, making it harder for supporters to make donations.Online payment company, PayPal, has permanently restricted Wikileaks' account, making it harder for supporters to make donations.
MasterCard Worldwide is also choking payments to the site.MasterCard Worldwide is also choking payments to the site.
The Swiss bank, PostFinance has closed the account of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.The Swiss bank, PostFinance has closed the account of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.
In all cases, the companies have insisted their decisions are not politically motivated.In all cases, the companies have insisted their decisions are not politically motivated.
PayPal said Wikileaks' account had violated its terms of services.PayPal said Wikileaks' account had violated its terms of services.
PostFinance, meanwhile, claimed Assange had provided false information when opening his account.PostFinance, meanwhile, claimed Assange had provided false information when opening his account.
BitTorrent fileBitTorrent file
But some have taken a different view.But some have taken a different view.
French internet service provider OVH said it had no plans to end the service it provides to Wikileaks.French internet service provider OVH said it had no plans to end the service it provides to Wikileaks.
"OVH is neither for nor against this site. We neither asked to host this site nor not to host it. Now it's with us, we will fulfil the contract," said OVH managing director Octave Klaba."OVH is neither for nor against this site. We neither asked to host this site nor not to host it. Now it's with us, we will fulfil the contract," said OVH managing director Octave Klaba.
"It's neither for the political world nor for OVH to call for or to decide on a site's closure," he added."It's neither for the political world nor for OVH to call for or to decide on a site's closure," he added.
French industry minister Eric Besson had called for the site to be shut down, saying France could not host internet sites that "violate the confidentiality of diplomatic relations and put in danger people protected by diplomatic secrecy".French industry minister Eric Besson had called for the site to be shut down, saying France could not host internet sites that "violate the confidentiality of diplomatic relations and put in danger people protected by diplomatic secrecy".
But on 6 December, a French judge declined to force OVH to shut Wikileaks down, saying the case needed further argument.But on 6 December, a French judge declined to force OVH to shut Wikileaks down, saying the case needed further argument.
Wikileaks has amassed some high-profile enemies including Senator Joe Lieberman, who chairs the US Homeland Security Committee.Wikileaks has amassed some high-profile enemies including Senator Joe Lieberman, who chairs the US Homeland Security Committee.
He has urged the US government to "use all legal means necessary to shut down Wikileaks before it can do more damage by releasing additional cables".He has urged the US government to "use all legal means necessary to shut down Wikileaks before it can do more damage by releasing additional cables".
Dr Joss Wright, a research fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute thinks it could be too late to legislate Wikileaks offline.Dr Joss Wright, a research fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute thinks it could be too late to legislate Wikileaks offline.
"Wikileaks has released an encrypted file containing all of the embassy cables," says Dr Wright. "The information is already out there.""Wikileaks has released an encrypted file containing all of the embassy cables," says Dr Wright. "The information is already out there."
Dozens of copies of that encrypted file have been shared using peer-to-peer networks, such as BitTorrent. "Once the information is there, it's virtually impossible to stop people sharing it," said Dr Wright.Dozens of copies of that encrypted file have been shared using peer-to-peer networks, such as BitTorrent. "Once the information is there, it's virtually impossible to stop people sharing it," said Dr Wright.
Founder of Wikileaks Julian Assange has been arrested in London and is being held in custody, having been refused bail.Founder of Wikileaks Julian Assange has been arrested in London and is being held in custody, having been refused bail.
He is accused by the Swedish authorities of sexual assault.He is accused by the Swedish authorities of sexual assault.