Anonymous urges PayPal boycott, LulzSec founder arrested (not?)

Rick

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Update (07/28/11 @ 12:40 EST): Various sources are theorizing the arrested suspect may not actually be "Topiary". Despite this, no official statement has been given at this time. Evidence supporting the theory appears to be very conjectural, however, this would not be the first time such a mistake has occured during hacker arrests. 

On Wednesday, yet another suspected member of Lulz Security was arrested in Britain. The 19-year old suspect is thought to be "Topiary", one of the founders of Lulz Security and certainly one of the more public figures within the group.

The young man has given a few press interviews, has been managing the group's Twitter feed and has publicly taken responsibility for a number of high-profile hacks. His arrest is the result of an ongoing investigation into Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks which targeted a variety of websites earlier this year.

In response to recent hacktivist arrests and continued outrage at PayPal's decision to freeze Wikileaks' account, Anonymous has issued another statement with their typical flair for the dramatic. Although with seemingly little relevance, Anonymous has made an oddly specific appeal on their blog requesting a public boycott of PayPal. While this appears to be without any immediate provocation, PayPal was targeted by the DDoS attacks which triggered the investigation leading to Topiary's arrest.

In the "official communique", Anonymous criticizes the FBI's operations to bust hacktivists who are "involved in ethical, modern cyber operations". They go on to chastise regulators for the stiff legal reprocussions of committing cyber crime, citing $500,000 USD fines and 15 years behind bars as an example.

The blog post echos their signature anti-corporate and anti-government message, justifying the means by which they achieve their goals and labels Wikileaks, "a beacon of truth in these dark times".  

"In addition to this horrific law enforcement incompetence, PayPal continues to withhold funds from WikiLeaks, a beacon of truth in these dark times. By simply standing up for ourselves and uniting the people, PayPal still sees it fit to wash its hands of any blame, and instead encourages and assists law enforcement to hunt down participants in the AntiSec movement." -- youranonnews blog

After the FBI arrested 17 members a few weeks ago, Lulz Security officially disbanded. However, many remaining members continue to be active under the "Anonymous" umbrella. With the recent arrest of two Lulz Security founders, "Tflow" and "Topiary", it is thought only 4 core members of Lulz Security remain.

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In the "official communique", Anonymous criticizes the FBI's operations to bust hacktivists who are "involved in ethical, modern cyber operations". They go on to chastise regulators concerning the stiff legal reprocussions of committing cyber crime, citing an example $500,000 USD fines and 15 years behind bars.

This is my favorite part of the article. Don't think this will sway the powers that be to back off ... how delusional.
 
Well thats a shame, although somehow I get the person they've arrested isn't actually part of the band and propably just read about it and downloaded the Lulzsec Ion Canon and joined in on the fun and his IP unfortunately got caught up by the FBI.
 
Governments are really starting to get good at this. The thought that you're anonymous on the web doesn't really exist anymore, even with proxys and IP invisible software.

If the governments get a big enough team together they can get anyone, I feel.
 
"If the governments get a big enough team together they can get anyone, I feel."

And in their efforts to be smug judge, jury and executioner for anything they deem important to their shallow egos, this is all Anonymous and Lulzsec has really done for Internet users.
 
What is so funny is reading other forums with a decidedly pro-LS bent in which people were equating a DDoS with a regular boycott. How one is no different than the other.

When someone pointed out that, well, they can boycott PayPal just like they would a regular business, but the point was missed.

The thing that is sad in this whole situation, is that all these young kids really do think that in supporting Anon and LS, that they're actually doing something for the public good. That what Anon and LS are doing actually is doing something to foment social change, not just random vandalism by a group of people who think they're invincible and immune to consequences.

I am all for boycotting any business or organization whose views you don't agree with. I am all for legitimate and legal social protest...kinda like how Anon got started, when their members got out into the streets, Guy Fawkes masks and all, and stood up for what they believe. I really respected Anon then.

But what they're doing isn't "hacktivism". As I've been saying, there are PLENTY of legitimate targets in the corporate and gov't sectors, which contain data that would actually foment social change. There are plenty of dirty little secrets and e-mails stored in servers all over the world. Find that information and release it, and you'll be doing something worthwhile. This petty DDoS crap and acting like stealing an e-mail list is some kind of hack of the century is BS.
 
gwailo247 said:
Oh, and as a side note, Daily Tech was saying that the LS Topiary is a Swedish guy, not a Briton, and the cops got the wrong person.

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=22280

While this may be true (and even likely), the evidence provided by Daily Tech and other sources is extremely circumstantial. I would probably wait for more details from official sources before arriving at speculative conclusions... for the moment.
 
boycott paypal?

Dont see how this will do anything. I dont pay Paypal for anything... they offer me pretty good services. Lulzsec, didnt benefit me in any way that I can see... or anyone really. Though they may have thought they were doing it for the ultimate good...what did it bring eventually?
 
In the "official communique", Anonymous criticizes the FBI's operations to bust hacktivists who are "involved in ethical, modern cyber operations". They go on to chastise regulators concerning the stiff legal reprocussions of committing cyber crime, citing an example $500,000 USD fines and 15 years behind bars.
This is my favorite part of the article. Don't think this will sway the powers that be to back off ... how delusional.
Oddly, I find myself at odds with their assessment of the penalty provisions also. I think they should double the time and fines.
 
lulsec is pretty *****ic but if you look at who anom has attacked and why I think anyone would have a hard time disliking them.

lulsec has attacked ps3 and stolen credit card information.

Anonymous has attacked oppressive middle eastern governmets who released bans of hired men from third world african countries armed with machine guns upon there population when they rebel. Some countries of which USA and I believe the UN have been bombing during there rebellion and are still bombing to protect there people.

If it was not for wikileaks these people would have not rebelled, secret communications within there governments were released exposing why there government filters such things as the internet, movies and all.
 
lulsec is pretty *****ic but if you look at who anom has attacked and why I think anyone would have a hard time disliking them.

lulsec has attacked ps3 and stolen credit card information.
Agreed.

Anonymous has attacked oppressive middle eastern governmets who released bans of hired men from third world african countries armed with machine guns upon there population when they rebel. Some countries of which USA and I believe the UN have been bombing during there rebellion and are still bombing to protect there people.
I seriously doubt that our government wasn't doing the same thing, except perhaps more discreetly. So, they could also be categorized as "grandstanding". At the end of the day, anonymous didn't pay one red cent for any bomb that fell, or toward any airplane that dropped it. In fact, I suspect that many of them are still sucking up student loans.

If it was not for wikileaks these people would have not rebelled, secret communications within there governments were released exposing why there government filters such things as the internet, movies and all.
And the last blast of crap that came out of wikileaks, was hacked gossip, plaIn and simple.
 
So many of you critique these young men. But really you are trying to make them out to be foolish so you don't feel as weak and scared as we all know you are. They took a stand, what have you ever done to fight oppression of your people?

-You cant arrest and idea.
 
Dropping bombs is not very discrete. Announcing there plans would get other hackers to help them in there endeavors. Tax dollars paid for the bombs, probably lining the pockets of the corporations who paid the lobbyist and gave campaign contributions to get the politicians who run the government into office in the first place. As is with any war. The same arms manufactures probably sold guns to Libya rebels and the libyan military years earlier. The difference between anom and the government is that anom is not tied to making profit. They appear to be motivated by a genuine concern for there fellow man.
 
Dropping bombs is not very discrete. Announcing there plans would get other hackers to help them in there endeavors. Tax dollars paid for the bombs, probably lining the pockets of the corporations who paid the lobbyist and gave campaign contributions to get the politicians who run the government into office in the first place. As is with any war. The same arms manufactures probably sold guns to Libya rebels and the libyan military years earlier. The difference between anom and the government is that anom is not tied to making profit. They appear to be motivated by a genuine concern for there fellow man.
And the meek shall inherit the earth. Good luck with that.

I heard an oil company executive say if people are so pissed off at the amount of money we're making, they should get even by buying stock in an oil company.

I suppose that sentiment could attach itself to buying stock in defense contractors.

I couldn't help notice you chose not to address the student loan issue. Tax dollars pay for that too, you know.

And by the way, during the Viet Nam war, our troops abandoned the M-16, and took to killing the enemy with their own AK-47s. The 16 tended to jamb, the AK did not.

That wars are fought for profit, is not exactly front page news either. That boths sides have the same weapon suppliers isn't news either. If one side has rocks, and the other side has guns, that might be news. You could say selling arms to both sides levels the "playing field", or perhaps "killing fields", if you prefer. When the US was friends with the Shah of Iran, we sold them a fleet of F-14 "Tomcats". I guess The Grumman Aircraft Corporation made a poop pile of money on that deal. And American jobs were created. When the "Oafatollah" took over, we refused to sell them parts for them. And so, there they sit, all broke down! Oh well, at least they won't corrode in the desert. And you can bet the Russians stepped up with their Mikoyan and Sukhoi "product", to fill in the void.

Oh BTW, selling arms and aircraft is one of the few venues we have left wherein the US can still compete on the world stage.

For all the crap sprayed around about, "give peace a chance", (and I"m from that generation), people sure seem to enjoy killing one another, moreso than getting along. All you need is an ideology and an arms dealer, and you're all set.

As another aside, the French sold Argentina their "Exocet Missiles", which sunk a great many British ships during the Faukland Islands War. But then, what are French friends for...?

And try not too get too cute when you paraphrase me. My statement about "discretion" attached itself to hacking, and rather obviously not bombing. Although if you want to ply that game, we can. I guess you could say it would be indiscreet not to bomb, unless you're not worried about either the outcome of the Libyan revolution, or civilian casualties.

So many of you critique these young men. But really you are trying to make them out to be foolish so you don't feel as weak and scared as we all know you are. They took a stand, what have you ever done to fight oppression of your people?

-You cant arrest and idea.
Perhaps not but, you might forget it after doing 5 to 10 for having it in the first place. Besides, who are you to pontificate as to who's oppressed, and who's not. That's a very individual sort of self determinate conclusion.

You say I'm oppressed, and that makes me oppressed. I say you're delusional, and that makes you delusional. See how that works?
 
I was really trying to point out that anom being discrete wouldn't have been beneficial. They needed all the help they could get. I was also trying to address the nobility of our tax dollars paying for bullets and bombs. Pointing out old news seemed necessary. Yes we can be proud that in this case our tax dollars and student loans or rather the interest on them helped fund Americas support. (and drain our taxes maybe, I dont know if the interest from student loans out weighs those who never pay them back) But as a whole I am not proud that my tax dollars and student loan repayment interest goes to fueling other wars and support started by greed. No I am not some all around anti war protester in case your wondering.

Yeah we make tons off selling arms, blood diamonds blah yeah its terrible. Topics that if people did as much foot work about as they did complaining might actually come to a happy ending. Captain my captain I'v been wanting to study a great deal more history lately, your recollection on guns might be the nudge I needed.

I like anom, if I was dedicated enough to be a hacker or in this case a great hacker I might help them out. I say great because I would want to know what the hell I was doing if I was going to risk 15 years in prison. I believe there are better ways to spend your time if your trying to help the world. But if you know how to hack and got some big balls joining anom seems to be the way to go.
 
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