Anonymous To 'Lizard Squad': Stop Attacking Tor
Dec 27, 2014, 07:33 IST
Anonymous, which has a long history of hacking and cyber attacking governments, corporations and religions organizations, says, "We don't give a f--k about corporate bulls--t networks, we do care about 3rd world communications."
One of the most important internet services in the world, the Tor Project is one of the most effective sites for encrypted communication: Whistleblowers like Edward Snowden have used the service, and it's proven pivotal in "dissident movements" in Iran and Egypt.
The group explained why it started attacking PlayStation Network and Xbox Live - it was initially "for the laughs," but then they wanted to force these companies to upgrade their networks' security. The group also explained why it stopped attacking those networks: internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom offered lifetime premium memberships to his private file-sharing service, Mega.
But it's still unclear why Lizard Squad, after punishing game networks for two straight days, refocused its attention on Tor.
Tor's service keeps its users anonymous by bouncing communications around a large network of computers known as "volunteer nodes." But as Gizmodo points out, if one group can control most of the nodes - which is exactly what Lizard Squad is attempting to do by attacking Tor - it may "be able to eavesdrop on a substantial number of vulnerable users," which has massive implications on the privacy of millions of people who rely on the service.
This computer programmer says Lizard Squad has claimed nearly half of Tor's ~8,000 relays.