Hack'n Inc. ... ( is it only the beginning? )

Lizard Squad, the group who claimed credit for taking down Sony's PlayStation Network and Microsoft's Xbox Live systems on Christmas, plans to turns its misdeeds into profits.

The group released a commercial variant of its DDoS (distributed denial of service) tool, which they say lets anyone take down networks — at a price. It was this tool that Lizard Squad says was responsible for the outages on PlayStation and Xbox Live.

Hackers ... let[ting] anyone use their DDoS tool

ADDITIONALLY ... (and strangely?):

One day after a group of hackers took credit for compromising the networks of PlayStation and Xbox, they now appear to be targeting Tor, a network that helps its users stay anonymous online.

Tor is not a household name, so any attack on the service would not be felt as widely as the disruption of online play for millions of gamers. But Tor is used by a wide variety of people who seek anonymity online, ranging from political dissidents and whistleblowers to those engaged in more illicit activities.

Hackers ... have a new target: Tor

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OPINIONS:

I believe that this type of Added-Information to My Prior-Posting:

A (new?) Tech-Term ... "Cyber-Caliphate"

reinforces that additional security measures should be considered at all industrial plants.

See Something? ... Say Something.

( i.e. it's only the beginning )
.

This has been going on for a long time, in regards to 'hackers' renting or selling DDoS services. Even 4Chan had it's LOIC. In the 90's payment for such services were in bought gift cards, then in the early 2000's it was in eGold or any of the other e-currencies. Now it's in Bitcoin or the like. I guess the only thing that changes is the scale of it all - many more vulnerable targets than those early days.

BTW, Tor has suffered a major hack, but not from hackers but from LE; Tor Network Is Under Attack through Directory Authority Servers Seizures

The line between "criminal hackers" and LE/government is now blended, as it seems the government is now engaged in criminal hacking as much as any civilian group.

originally posted by: Blackmarketeer
This has been going on for a long time, in regards to 'hackers' renting or selling DDoS services. Even 4Chan had it's LOIC. In the 90's payment for such services were in bought gift cards, then in the early 2000's it was in eGold or any of the other e-currencies. Now it's in Bitcoin or the like. I guess the only thing that changes is the scale of it all - many more vulnerable targets than those early days.

BTW, Tor has suffered a major hack, but not from hackers but from LE; Tor Network Is Under Attack through Directory Authority Servers Seizures

The line between "criminal hackers" and LE/government is now blended, as it seems the government is now engaged in criminal hacking as much as any civilian group.

Now, I haven't read the article, but are the hackers simply selling their DDOS software, or are they selling access to botnets with the software installed? A single computer running DDOS software likely won't take down a target, or even really affect it at all. In the case of your aforementioned LOIC, it required MANY users to bombard the target with the software before any noticeable changes occured.

a reply to: ScientificRailgun

They'll sell both - they'll sell the malware needed to start your own botnet, or they'll sell you access to their botnet, or they'll sell you the DDoS service, you give them a target and a time frame and they'll take it out. The level of commerce in the criminal underground is very inventive.

Just wait until cars start to get hit!

I expect to see a lot of divisionary propaganda regarding white hats and black hats. This way, most of the population will identify who is who by which organizations affiliate, rather than by individual merit based on acts.

Obviously, anyone involved with corporations and government will be the good, altruistic white hats! /sarcasm ;P

originally posted by: Blackmarketeer
a reply to: ScientificRailgun

They'll sell both - they'll sell the malware needed to start your own botnet, or they'll sell you access to their botnet, or they'll sell you the DDoS service, you give them a target and a time frame and they'll take it out. The level of commerce in the criminal underground is very inventive.

Inventive indeed. I wonder long it is before we find out this was all a giant honeypot to catch fledgling online criminals.

originally posted by: Serdgiam
Just wait until cars start to get hit!

I expect to see a lot of divisionary propaganda regarding white hats and black hats. This way, most of the population will identify who is who by which organizations affiliate, rather than by individual merit based on acts.

Obviously, anyone involved with corporations and government will be the good, altruistic white hats! /sarcasm ;P

I traded my red hat for a white one a long time ago. The pay is much better, imo. Heh.

originally posted by: Serdgiam
Just wait until cars start to get hit!

I expect to see a lot of divisionary propaganda regarding white hats and black hats. This way, most of the population will identify who is who by which organizations affiliate, rather than by individual merit based on acts.

Obviously, anyone involved with corporations and government will be the good, altruistic white hats! /sarcasm ;P

Altruistic white hats? Never met one. I've met lots of white hats who preferred a great salary and freedom to prison time though.

originally posted by: Shamrock6

originally posted by: Serdgiam
Just wait until cars start to get hit!

I expect to see a lot of divisionary propaganda regarding white hats and black hats. This way, most of the population will identify who is who by which organizations affiliate, rather than by individual merit based on acts.

Obviously, anyone involved with corporations and government will be the good, altruistic white hats! /sarcasm ;P

Altruistic white hats? Never met one. I've met lots of white hats who preferred a great salary and freedom to prison time though.

There was something someone told me once. I can't remember who it was, but they said "White hats are just black hats with a steady paycheck" Though, I never considered myself a black-hat.

originally posted by: ScientificRailgun
traded my red hat for a white one a long time ago. The pay is much better, imo. Heh.

Less of a chance to wind up in prison, too.

Until it's convenient to cover someone elses shenanigans up, anyway.

originally posted by: ScientificRailgun

originally posted by: Shamrock6

originally posted by: Serdgiam
Just wait until cars start to get hit!

I expect to see a lot of divisionary propaganda regarding white hats and black hats. This way, most of the population will identify who is who by which organizations affiliate, rather than by individual merit based on acts.

Obviously, anyone involved with corporations and government will be the good, altruistic white hats! /sarcasm ;P

Altruistic white hats? Never met one. I've met lots of white hats who preferred a great salary and freedom to prison time though.

There was something someone told me once. I can't remember who it was, but they said "White hats are just black hats with a steady paycheck" Though, I never considered myself a black-hat.

I've heard the same saying. Coincidentally, it was from a black hat turned white hat currently employed by the gov

With the FBI officially investigating Lizard Squad.... I see it as them preparing for their downfall. Spread their software to as many people as possibly so that their legacy can continue.

a reply to: FarleyWayne

Create a problem.......Check...........People cry out for help......Check...........Come in and save the day........?



What are the odds a group of people would do this for profit and look for customers. Personally I think this is a setup for control of some kind of the internet. Watch the other hand people and look for the solution TPTB are going to provide.


And what better way to get people to cry out and beg for help than to take away the entertainment. Up is down and left is right.

originally posted by: Shamrock6
Altruistic white hats? Never met one. I've met lots of white hats who preferred a great salary and freedom to prison time though.

Right. That's the deal. I tried to make it clear that I am speaking about future expectations.

Of course, neither "side" in the narrative will be accurate. They are designed to create two opposing groups. The majority of the population involved in the conversation will make their decision based on current social contexts.

I would hope you are familiar with these tactics, given your involvement with the discussions about the protests. Mainstream social manipulation is important, but it's just as important to control the counter-culture narrative.

anyone ever get a feelin that lizard squad could be a government group?

originally posted by: neomaximus10
anyone ever get a feelin that lizard squad could be a government group?

See my above "honeypot" comment.