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The hacktivist movement Anonymous has made good on its promises to target those associated with the violent extremist organisation, ISIS, by taking over and knocking out hundreds of websites and social media accounts that help promote the organisation and encourage recruitment from new members. Apparently though, this is just the start, with the Anons stating in a video that #OpISIS would continue. It also championed the notion of solidarity in the face of the middle-east terrorist organisation's brutality. [yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPE_sRhZp6M']
“We are Muslims, Christians, Jews. We are hackers, crackers, hacktivists, phishers, agents, spies, or just the guy next door. We are students, clerks, unemployed, rich, poor. We are young or old, gay or straight. [..] We come from all races, countries, religions and ethnicity. United as one, divided by zero,” the video states.
It goes on to paint ISIS members as non-muslims, stating categorically that Anonymous will “treat them like a virus,” and will exterminate their online presence. “There will be no safe place for you online,” it said.
To prove its claims, Anonymous yesterday posted a link to a Pastebin entry which contained links to hundreds of Twitter and Facebook accounts, purportedly run by ISIS members and recruiters. Those have now been taken down or suspended in their entirety. It also listed information for others and the authorities to investigate, such as IP addresses of suspected supporters and traced VPN connections of those accessing the taken-down social media accounts.
The response from most internet users has been positive, though some have questioned about the usefulness of attacking social media when the group is so violent in the real world. However, unlike many terror groups, ISIS has shown a particular proclivity for using Western resources like the internet and Facebook/Twitter to spread its messages of intolerance and encourage others to take up arms with it. So far it claims to have recruited over 50,000 foreigners to its cause, many of them ‘fighters.'
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KitGuru Says: What do you guys think of Anonymous going after ISIS like this?
Attack is the best form of defense.
*Yawn* some tribal scripture reading apes don’t make for worthy opponents in something as intellectual as cyber crime, this was a cakewalk for Anonymous.
In the face of something like ISIS, any attack on them is a good thing, those who say it’s no good attacking their online presence aren’t considering (as KG have), that it is being used as a recruiting tool.
In a way Anonymous are actually helping secure public safety for the average joe from the loons ISIS are attempting to recruit who can’t get over there to do their dirty work and do it here instead.
Best news I’ve heard in a long time. I wonder if it might be more effective long-term for these people to simply provide their info to the authorities and let them do the taking down or removal of these sites/accounts.
i’m not saying I support Anonymus… but I totally support Anonymus…
Have not been a big fan of some of Anons past actions. Some came off as childish tantrums. However this is something I can get behind and support 100%. Them disrupting the recruiting methods can have a huge impact in the long run. As the current fighters on the ground are killed in air strikes and Iraqi and Kurdish forces they may have a harder time replacing them. Recruiting is already starting to slow and Anons action may slow it down further. They should also go after the Russian Government for being total douche nozzles.