Anonymous hacks Boston Police, publishes officer details

[Guest]

Anonymous has hacked the servers of the Boston Police and other police-related sites, releasing the information late Friday in response to what they call unprovoked mass arrests and brutality experienced by Occupy Boston protesters on October 11.

The hacktivist group made public the passwords and usernames of 1,000 of the Boston Police Patrolmen's Association, as well as the names, addresses and social security numbers of 1,000 Birmingham, Alabama officers. The International Association of Chief of Police website was also targeted, and the group also released a client list and financials of the Matrix Group, a DC-based web design firm with law enforcement customers.

Some of the sites hacked had homepages defaced and were replaced with an anti-police rap video. They claimed to have taken down 40 police-related websites, including the International Association of Chief of Police website that remained unreachable for the majority of the weekend.

“Let this be a warning to BPD and police everywhere: future acts of aggression against our movements will be met with a vengeance," the group said in a statement posted over at Pastebin.

On Friday evening, BPD addressed the situation: "It has come to the attention of the Boston Police Department that various websites used by members of the BPD, including the website belonging to the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association have been hacked into and possibly compromised. In light of this information, the Boston Police Department is requiring all department personnel to secure their login information by resetting their passwords on the BPD network."

“I will confirm that it has happened, and there is an active federal and local investigation into it,” said Thomas Nee, President of the BPPA when speaking with the Boston Herald yesterday.

Occupy Boston members have stated that they did not ask Anonymous to do the hacking, but refused to publicly criticize the hacker collective saying they feared their own emails would be hacked.

Last month the Austrian branch of Anonymous published the information of 25,000 police officers in protest of a proposed change to the law that would see telecommunications companies forced to save details of all telephone and internet traffic for a minimum of 6 months, and provide them to police when requested.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/45975-anonymous-hacks-boston-police-publishes-officer-details.html

 

[Vrmithrax]

Ah yes, so they yet again base an attack on their tunnel-vision viewpoint of what they have perceived as a wrongdoing... Yet even the supposed "victims" of the wrongdoing won't condone their actions, which target and victimize an entire population of people (all police officers in this case) in an attempt at some type of misguided retribution. Sounds awfully familiar, rather like the ramblings and justifications that radical terrorists use for their actions.

 

[SeiveD]

Anonymous believes they've been put in place to make and enforce laws. They haven't been, and as hard as they try, they can't _really_ justify their actions. It's just like you said, they're a terrorist group. They're going to attack anyone who they disagree with, in an attempt to make them behave the way they want them to.

 

[freedomthinker]

SeiveD said:
Anonymous believes they've been put in place to make and enforce laws. They haven't been, and as hard as they try, they can't _really_ justify their actions. It's just like you said, they're a terrorist group. They're going to attack anyone who they disagree with, in an attempt to make them behave the way they want them to.

"They're going to attack anyone who they disagree with" . Bull crap. Don't corporations and police do the same ? Police brutality for some reason is justified , when Anonymous defended the people , they are for some reason the bad guys ? They are helping the PEOPLE ! So called economists rob people of their money everyday , why are they getting away so easily ?

 

[SeiveD]

Just because Anonymous calls something police brutality doesn't mean I'm going to take their word for it. From what I've read, the Occupy Boston arrests were due to protestors stepping on certain property which they were repeatedly warned not to do, and did not have permission to do. They were trespassing. They disobeyed the law. Anonymous clearly supports these Occupy * movements. Anonymous is defending those who were arrested for disobeying the law. Anonymous subsequently disobeyed the law in 'defending' them.

I abide by the law, Anonymous does not. Anonymous defends the breaking of the law through breaking the law. Anonymous labelled the arrests as "police brutality", however I've not found any evidence to support that outside of their word for it. They lied to you and sold you their BS. Congratulations.

 

[DokkRokken]

freedomthinker said:

SeiveD said:
Anonymous believes they've been put in place to make and enforce laws. They haven't been, and as hard as they try, they can't _really_ justify their actions. It's just like you said, they're a terrorist group. They're going to attack anyone who they disagree with, in an attempt to make them behave the way they want them to.

"They're going to attack anyone who they disagree with" . Bull crap. Don't corporations and police do the same ? Police brutality for some reason is justified , when Anonymous defended the people , they are for some reason the bad guys ? They are helping the PEOPLE ! So called economists rob people of their money everyday , why are they getting away so easily ?

So you're saying that Anon needs to lower themselves in order to make their point?

I'd bet if you were an officer for the BPD, you'd have a very different view.

 

[Zilliak]

sometimes you have to lower yourself to get people to see. Everyone should go watch the film inside job. Honestly, i enjoy watching anonymous, police forces are so corrupt, especially in DC.

 

[Route44]

sometimes you have to lower yourself to get people to see. Everyone should go watch the film inside job. Honestly, i enjoy watching anonymous, police forces are so corrupt, especially in DC.

And your proof is...

 

[gwailo247]

This kinda reminds me of when the kids at /b/ would find someone, like the lady putting the cat in the trash can, or whatever, and find their info and publish it so that they get some justice...except in this case, they published the information of everyone on the block that the cat lady lived on, you know, cause they live on the same block as her.

I mean, why take the time to identify which officers were involved in any acts of brutality. Lets just target everyone who works for the department. Who cares, they're all guilty cause they wear a badge. Not as if the cops actually do anything for the public, they all just beat suspects, and abuse their authority. They never actually bring any thugs, killers, rapists, etc to justice. And of course, cue some punk kids commenting, cause some cop chased them off from trespassing, or doing something else illegal, so of course all cops are evil *******s.

 

[aj_the_kidd]

future acts of aggression against our movements will be met with a vengeance

Cue eye roll [** PAUSE **]
OK, comments like this and others I've read before are a bit much. Maybe they just need a hug or need to get laid.

I agreed with their kiddie porn shakedown over the weekend, but this, not so much

 

[Adhmuz]

This so called "hactivist" group is turning more and more into an anarchist group everyday. If they wanted to target corporations then do so? Don't go after the men and women who are there to protect you, thats just ignorant, unless your so self righteous that your unable to see this.

 

[treetops]

Comparing none violent protesters\hackers to murderous suicide civilian bombing terrorist is *****ic.

 

[Vrmithrax]

treetops said:
Comparing none violent protesters\hackers to murderous suicide civilian bombing terrorist is *****ic.

Really? Oh right, you mean because they don't serve their own self-righteous agenda, don't feel the ends justify the means (however potentially destructive they are), don't care who gets hurt by their actions, and don't categorically apply bold strokes when blaming an entire facet of society for whatever their perceived injustices are? You should understand that I wasn't comparing the severity of the results, but the mentality and motivations of misguided actions.

If Anonymous had specifically targeted the police officers involved in the transgressions that they are protesting, and only exposed the personal information for those few, then I would have respect for them. Instead, they blanket attack an entire group for what they perceive as the sins of a few against their cause. That, my friend, is the cyber equivalent of walking a suicide bomber into a populated area and lighting a fuse, with zero regard for whether those in the blast zone are innocent or guilty. There is nothing *****ic about the comparison - either way they don't care about the collateral damage, as long as they can hurt someone and take credit for it to further their cause. The mentality is scarily similar between the 2 groups.

 

[aj_the_kidd]

treetops said:
Comparing none violent protesters\hackers to murderous suicide civilian bombing terrorist is *****ic.

I agree, yes going against Anon wont equal death or physical harm but it wont be pleasant either.

I will say Anon have knowingly broken the law to enforce their own sense of justice, to a point where they have people scared to publicly criticize them for fear of repercussions, granted repercussions in this instance does not equal death like certain terrorist groups, but fear none the less. They also to appear to welcome and encourage this fear as well. Not to mention they went after the entire BPD, not individuals, most of which i assume were undeserving but guilty by association.

 

[aj_the_kidd]

i think my have just contradicted myself and given reasons why you can compare the two, give me a break I'm hungry

 

[princeton]

Adhmuz said:
This so called "hactivist" group is turning more and more into an anarchist group everyday. If they wanted to target corporations then do so? Don't go after the men and women who are there to protect you, thats just ignorant, unless your so self righteous that your unable to see this.

Anonymous has always been an anarchist group. One of their key inspirations is Alan Moore's "V for Vendetta". The character V is a symbol for anarchist ideology and does whatever he must to bring down the totalitarian government.

I don't know where the hacktivist label comes from but it really doesn't make much sense.

 

[spydercanopus]

Anonymous doesn't have "branches" or central leadership of any kind. When a member (or spectator in disguise) says he's the mouthpiece, he's not. That's either co-opted disinformation or someone outside describing their view of the inside.

 

[jackal2687]

freedomthinker said:

SeiveD said:
Anonymous believes they've been put in place to make and enforce laws. They haven't been, and as hard as they try, they can't _really_ justify their actions. It's just like you said, they're a terrorist group. They're going to attack anyone who they disagree with, in an attempt to make them behave the way they want them to.

"They're going to attack anyone who they disagree with" . Bull crap. Don't corporations and police do the same ? Police brutality for some reason is justified , when Anonymous defended the people , they are for some reason the bad guys ? They are helping the PEOPLE ! So called economists rob people of their money everyday , why are they getting away so easily ?

I kindof disagree with both of you guys. I would say that are doing what they believe to be right. Meaning that, people shouldn't be herded like sheep by a federal or state force doing what they believe is right. Also, they quoted one person and I seem to believe it may be a biased statement, if it is even a statement at all and not a ramble from the editor. Police are good when they stop bad guys, but they are bad and overstepping when they start to punish us against the constitution. Federal government is the same way in that regard. They want you to be mindless and patriotic, calling anything against the US is unpatriotic and whatnot. However it would seem that if you look at it logically. It would almost be the opposite. I don't agree that rich people should have higher taxes like they do. (Im not rich by any means). But I also believe that poor people shouldnt be carried like they are today. I believe the government shouldnt have to pay for half the stuff it does today. I also believe that some paychecks need to be cut off in the White house and H.O.R. as well as benefits. Anyone else think they would give themselves a raise if they had the opportunity?

Anyway, there are alot of things that need to change. But it seems like none cares, it's ok though. Keep watching your reality TV shows and just stay silent, you won't even notice your rights going into the garbage until it's too late.

 

[matrix86]

treetops said:
Comparing none violent protesters\hackers to murderous suicide civilian bombing terrorist is *****ic.

Nobody here compared Anon to a "murderous suicide civilian bombing terrorist." Yes, they have been called a terrorist, but a terrorist doesn't just kill people. Perhaps you should open the dictionary. Terrorism does not always involve death.

And to those cheering them on...REALLY?! You see nothing wrong with posting names, addresses, and social security numbers of everyone in the department, even if they weren't involved? And did you even take the time to see WHY people get arrested at these protests? Of course not. I'm predicting Anon to hack the Houston PD again because of the arrests that were made yesterday. But Anon will ignore the reason why they were arrested, which is because the protesters were blocking the entrance of a bank, preventing people from going in and coming out. This is disruption of business, trespassing (as the bank owner asked them to move from the entrance and they didn't) and also a violation of safety codes. But hey, morons like you and Anon would never take the time to look these things up.

 

[DokkRokken]

treetops said:
Comparing none violent protesters\hackers to murderous suicide civilian bombing terrorist is *****ic.

They're just as dangerous. It's not an *****ic comparison at all.

Posting information freely that murderers and rapists can then use to threaten the lives of good, honest policemen and their families is deplorable.

Anon may not carry out 'bombings' but their actions can certainly enable others carry out violent acts.

 

[ROCKDUDE]

aw you mean like USA or UK that they attacks anyone that they are dissaggre with them let me tell you something ("as hold" ) any of the rights that you have today was win by fight, by sweat, by tears, by blood and if you don't protest you never see a different world, all the kinds of protest are made for make a change, you know what the national heroes of every nation one day they were called terrorists and anarchists and now they are called liberator, everybody knows that this system is rotten for the love of the money and the real terrorists are anyone that kill directly or indirectly for power and money.

 

[ROCKDUDE]

SeiveD said:
Anonymous believes they've been put in place to make and enforce laws. They haven't been, and as hard as they try, they can't _really_ justify their actions. It's just like you said, they're a terrorist group. They're going to attack anyone who they disagree with, in an attempt to make them behave the way they want them to.

aw you mean like USA or UK that they attacks anyone that they are dissaggre with them let me tell you something ("as hold" ) any of the rights that you have today was win by fight, by sweat, by tears, by blood and if you don't protest you never see a different world, all the kinds of protest are made for make a change, you know what the national heroes of every nation one day they were called terrorists and anarchists and now they are called liberator, everybody knows that this system is rotten for the love of the money and the real terrorists are anyone that kill directly or indirectly for power and money.

 

[matrix86]

no double posting, please

 

[therickster90]

I have a friend who is a police officer (not in Boston) that had his information leaked a few months ago. It is not a joke. He and his family received death threats, he had to change all his phone numbers and online accounts, and they are hoping to move to a new address soon.

It is one thing to raise awareness of an incidence (the alleged police brutality), it is another to violate the privacy of thousands of individuals, especially when those individuals will likely become targets for all sorts of threats, spam, further hacking, and even violence.

 

[Mindwraith]

these guys are still around?