Anonymous Spokesman Leaves Amid Hacker War
A flag conveying symbolism associated with Anonymous. The symbolism of the "suit without a head" represents leaderless organization and anonymity. (Wikimedia Commons) As the internal battle at Anonymous Operations plays out, the groups spokesman, journalist Barrett Brown, officially jumped ship, taking with him close to two-dozen members.
A civil war among members of online activist group Anonymous Operations erupted after a rogue administrator, Ryan, and a small group used a series of cyberattacks to seize control of the organizations two main websites and IRC (Internet relay chat) room where operations were formerly planned.
Ryan launched what the groups remaining administrators referred to as a coup dtat, due to a growing sentiment among Anonymous members that the groups lack of leadership weakens it.
Brown told Threat Post, the news site of security company Kaspersky, that the battles for control were among his reasons for leaving.
Youve got kids fighting for control of an IRC channel. Im a researcher. Im into revolutionary stuff. But there are other people for whom its about exerting power, Brown said.
Brown has since moved on to start a new movement, Project PM, which aims to improve the distribution of accurate and informative news, couple journalists with scientists in order to make useful information more readily available to the masses, and to help develop undeveloped regions of Africa with as much efficiency as attainable, according to the groups website.
Project PM is currently working on a host of operations, and appears to be taking a more legally safe route to meeting its goals than that of Anonymous.
Meanwhile, history is seemingly repeating itself at Anonymous Operations. The battle currently taking place bears close resemblance to in! cidents amid the Great Hacker War in the early 90s between the Legion of Doom and the Masters of Deceptiontwo of the leading hacker groups of the time.
A civil war among members of online activist group Anonymous Operations erupted after a rogue administrator, Ryan, and a small group used a series of cyberattacks to seize control of the organizations two main websites and IRC (Internet relay chat) room where operations were formerly planned.
Ryan launched what the groups remaining administrators referred to as a coup dtat, due to a growing sentiment among Anonymous members that the groups lack of leadership weakens it.
Brown told Threat Post, the news site of security company Kaspersky, that the battles for control were among his reasons for leaving.
Youve got kids fighting for control of an IRC channel. Im a researcher. Im into revolutionary stuff. But there are other people for whom its about exerting power, Brown said.
Brown has since moved on to start a new movement, Project PM, which aims to improve the distribution of accurate and informative news, couple journalists with scientists in order to make useful information more readily available to the masses, and to help develop undeveloped regions of Africa with as much efficiency as attainable, according to the groups website.
Project PM is currently working on a host of operations, and appears to be taking a more legally safe route to meeting its goals than that of Anonymous.
Meanwhile, history is seemingly repeating itself at Anonymous Operations. The battle currently taking place bears close resemblance to in! cidents amid the Great Hacker War in the early 90s between the Legion of Doom and the Masters of Deceptiontwo of the leading hacker groups of the time.
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Anonymous Operations also went back online, ditching its two captured websites and IRC channel and opening a new IRC channel. The full breadth of losses may be more in terms of manpower, however, and the exodus of Brown and other members could be an early sign of this.
- Nature of Anonymous Operations Makes FBI Arrests Difficult
Anonymous Operations also went back online, ditching its two captured websites and IRC channel and opening a new IRC channel. The full breadth of losses may be more in terms of manpower, however, and the exodus of Brown and other members could be an early sign of this.
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