Megaupload take-down leads to Anonymous attacks
The hacking collective known as Anonymous have carried out a string of DDoS attacks on high profile websites after the file-sharing sites Megaupload and Megavideo were forced to close yesterday.
Hackers attacked the Motion Picture Association of America, the Universal Music website, the Recording Industry Association of America and a US Department of Justice website during a night of retaliation.
Anonymous took their @AnonymousIRC Twitter account to claim responsibility for the attacks, saying:
“justice.gov seems to be besieged by some pirate ships. Can’t handle the pirates? Don’t sail the proxeas.”
Thursday saw the US governement department take down the Megaupload and Megavideo sites, calling the webmasters part of a “Mega Conspiracy, a worldwide criminal organization whose members engaged in criminal copyright infringement and money laundering on a massive scale.”
Many believe the hacked websites are directly linked to the ongoing pressures to have the SOPA and PIPA anti-piracy bills passed by the White House. Each organisation linked to the websites struck by Anonymous have shown their support for the bills in the past.
“For #SOPA supporters their#SOPAblackout is today,” the Anonymous Twitter feed also stated.
