Anonymous (unknowningly?) outing hacktivists. (honeypot?)

www.symantec.com...

In 2011, dozens of Anonymous members who participated in distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks in support of Anonymous hacktivism causes were arrested. In these DDoS attacks, supporters using the Low Orbit Ion Cannon denial-of-service (DoS) tool would voluntarily include their computer in a botnet for attacks in support of Anonymous. In the wake Anonymous member arrests this week, it is worth highlighting how Anonymous supporters have been deceived into installing Zeus botnet clients purportedly for the purpose of DoS attacks. The Zeus client does perform DoS attacks, but it doesn’t stop there. It also steals the users' online banking credentials, webmail credentials, and cookies.

The deception of Anonymous supporters began on January 20, 2012, the day of the FBI Megaupload raid. An attacker took a popular PasteBin guide, used by Anonymous members for downloading and using the DoS tool Slowloris, and modified it.

The scheme, for those unaware, relies on what is known as a DDoS attack. This denial of service attack is run by having supporters who want to be a part of this hacktivist club without any knowledge of hacking. This is using the Low Orbit Ion Cannon, or LOIC as it is often said. Through this, they eat up all the bandwith dropping the site from being able to be accessed. Here is a better description on the process:

en.wikipedia.org...

The problem with this, is recently, not only was the LOIC distributed, but also a virus known as Zeus. This will allow them to continue downing sites that usually come back within the day or few days, but also logs and sends out the banking information, personal information, web login information.

This system is currently using the 'no leader' structure of anonymous to distribute tracking / malware to the hacktivists who usually jump on board when the group announces an operation. The question is, is this some kind of fear implementing move to scare away the kiddies who do not know anything about hacking who rely on tools such as LOIC, or is this by design?

I thought this was an interesting article since there is some buzz around here about Anonymous being a honey pot.

Wouldn't shock me a bit, if not only did it happen knowingly but that it was planned to happen as such. This group, though parts of them might fight for a "greater good" is comprised of individuals who may or may not have the peoples best interest at heart.

I really don't know as i have had no dealings with the group or any member of it knowingly, though i'm sure that in my perusing on the internet i must have crossed paths with at least one person involved. I wouldn't be suprised to find out that this group is a govt. ploy now, regardless of how the group came of origin.