Original URL: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/07/27/anonymous_paypal_boycott/
Anonymous, LulzSec go legit with PayPal boycott
Free the DDoS fourteen! Hm. Bored now, need more lulz
Posted in Security, 27th July 2011 12:01 GMT
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Hactivist collective Anonymous has called for a boycott of PayPal.
The group wants supporters to empty their accounts and avoid using the payment service in protest against the prosecution of a university student who allegedly participated in denial of service attacks against PayPal last year. Mercedes Haefer, a 20-year-old journalism student at the university of Nevada, is among around 14 people facing hacking charges punishable by a sentence of up to 15 years imprisonment and a large fine. It has been alleged that Haefer had used her home PC to attack PayPal's systems.
In response, Anonymous and LulzSec put out a statement [1] calling for a boycott of PayPal, as the first phase of #OpPayPal.
This lawful direct action represents a change of tactics for Anonymous, which has become much more closely associated with illegal DDoS attacks against targets (Sony, FBI-affiliated security organisations, the entertainment industry, payment firms who blocked WikiLeaks accounts, Scientologists etc). Anonymous, which claims [2] at least 450 PayPal accounts have already been deleted, threatens further unspecified actions in future.
In recent weeks Anonymous and LulzSec have rarely stayed with the same target for more than a day at a time, so it will be interesting to see how long #OpPayPal lasts or how it evolves. Security firm Panda has already spotted [3] chatter suggesting a move towards illegal tactics is already being discussed, at least. ®