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{{short description|Series of cyberattacks conducted by Anonymous}}
'''Operation Payback''' was a coordinated,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11971259 |title=Anonymous Wikileaks supporters explain web attacks |date=2010-12-10 |
▲'''Operation Payback''' was a coordinated,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11971259 |title=Anonymous Wikileaks supporters explain web attacks |date=2010-12-10 |accessdate=2010-12-10 |work=bbc.co.uk |publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref> decentralized<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gawker.com/5710948/the-top-three-myths-about-anonymous |title=The Top Three Myths About Anonymous |first=Adrian |last=Chen |date=2010-12-09 |accessdate=2010-12-11 |work=gawker.com |publisher=[[Gawker]]}}</ref> group of attacks on high-profile<ref>Bodmer, Kilger, Carpenter, & Jones, [[Reverse Deception: Organized Cyber Threat Counter-Exploitation]], (2012) McGraw-Hill Osborne Media. {{ISBN|0071772499}}</ref> opponents of [[Internet piracy]] by [[Internet activist]]s using the "[[Anonymous (group)|Anonymous]]" moniker. Operation Payback started as retaliation to [[denial-of-service attack|distributed denial of service]] (DDoS) attacks on [[Torrent file|torrent]] sites; piracy proponents then decided to launch DDoS attacks on piracy opponents. The initial reaction snowballed into a wave of attacks on major pro-copyright and anti-piracy organizations, law firms, and individuals.
Following the [[United States diplomatic cables leak]] in December 2010, the organizers commenced DDoS attacks on websites of banks who had withdrawn banking facilities from [[WikiLeaks]].
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==Background and initial attacks==
In 2010, several [[Bollywood]] companies hired Aiplex Software to launch DDoS attacks on websites that did not respond to [[takedown notice]]s.<ref name="theregister1">{{cite news |title=4chan launches DDoS against entertainment industry |first=John |last=Leyden |newspaper=[[The Register]] |date=2010-09-22 |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/09/20/4chan_ddos_mpaa_riaa/ |
==Attacks on the recording industry==
===Law firms===
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On September 21, 2010, the website of United Kingdom law firm [[ACS:Law]] was subjected to a DDoS attack as part of Operation Payback. When asked about the attacks, Andrew Crossley, owner of ACS:Law, said: "It was only down for a few hours. I have far more concern over the fact of my train turning up 10 minutes late or having to queue for a coffee than them wasting my time with this sort of rubbish."<ref name="theregister2" /><ref name="ars" />
When the site came back online a 350[[Megabyte|MB]] file, which was a backup of the site, was visible to anyone for a short period of time.<ref name="theregister4">{{cite news |title=Anti-piracy lawyers' email database leaked after hack |first=John |last=Leydon |newspaper=The Register |date=2010-09-27 |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/09/27/anti_piracy_lawyer_email_leak/ |
On September 30, the [[Leesburg, Virginia]] office of Dunlap, Grubb & Weaver law firm – also doing business as the "[[US Copyright Group|U.S. Copyright Group]]"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100903/11144710895.shtml |title=Hurt Locker Subpoenas Arrive With New Language ... And Higher Demands |first=Mike |last=Masnick |work=Techdirt |date=2010-09-03 |
===Australian pro-copyright organization===
On September 27, 2010, the DDoS attack on the [[AFACT|Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft]] (AFACT) unintentionally brought down 8,000 other small websites hosted on the same server.<ref>{{cite news |title=Operation Payback directs DDoS attack at AFACT |first=Brett |last=Winterford |url=http://www.itnews.com.au/News/233573,operation-payback-directs-ddos-attack-at-afact.aspx |newspaper=iTnews |date=2010-09-28 |
===ACAPOR===
In September 2010, in an attempt to ensure that [[Portugal|Portuguese]] citizens
On October 18, 2010, the ACAPOR website was [[website defacement|defaced]], presenting text from Operation Payback and a redirect to The Pirate Bay after a few seconds. In addition to defacing the website, a copy of the email database of ACAPOR was uploaded to The Pirate Bay.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://torrentfreak.com/movie-rental-outfit-hacked-emails-leaked-redirected-to-the-pirate-bay-101018/|title=Movie Rental Outfit Hacked, Emails Leaked, Redirected to The Pirate Bay |author=Ernesto |date=2010-10-18 |publisher=TorrentFreak |
===More attacks===
On October 4, 2010, Operation Payback launched an attack on the [[Ministry of Sound]] website and the Gallant Macmillan website.<ref name="theregister5">{{cite news |title=Ministry of Sound floored by Anonymous |first=John |last=Leydon |newspaper=The Register |date=2010-10-04 |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/10/04/ministry_of_sound_ddos/ |
On October 7, 2010, they attacked the website of the Spanish copyright society, sgae.es.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/10/07/anonymous_ent_biz_ddos_hits_spain/ |title=Spanish entertainment industry feels wrath of Anonymous |first=John |last=Leyden |date=2010-10-07 |
On October 15, 2010, Copyprotected.com was [[SQL injection|SQL injected]] and defaced,<ref name="pandalabssecurity"/><ref name="torrentfreak-4">{{cite web |url=http://torrentfreak.com/mpaa-copy-protected-drmsite-hacked-by-anonymous-101015/|title=MPAA Copy-Protected DRM Site Hacked By Anonymous|date=2010-10-15|
[[Production companies]] SatelFilm.at and Wega-Film.at were hit by "drive-by" DDoSes on October 21, 2010, in response to their efforts to gain a court injunction against an [[ISP]] that refused to block a movie-streaming website,<ref name="slycknews">{{cite news |title=Operation: Payback Hits SatelFilm.at with 'Drive By' DoS |first=Thomas |last=Mennecke |newspaper=Slyck News |date=2010-10-21 |url=http://www.slyck.com/story2097_Operation_Payback_Hits_SatelFilmat_with_Drive_By_DoS |
===Musician and copyright advocate===
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During the 2010 [[MIPCOM]] convention, [[Gene Simmons]] of [[Kiss (band)|KISS]] stated:
{{
In response to Simmons' comments,<ref name="theguardian">{{cite news |title=Gene Simmons gets kiss of death from notorious web forum |first=Josh |last=Halliday |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=2010-10-14 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2010/oct/14/gene-simmons-anonymous-attack-filesharing |
{{blockquote|text=
Some of you may have heard a few popcorn farts re: our sites being threatened by hackers.
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First, they will be punished.
Second, they might find their little butts in jail, right next to someone who's been there for years and is looking for a new girl friend.
We will soon be printing their names and pictures.
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You cannot hide.
Stay tuned<ref name="Mennecke1">{{cite web |url=http://www.slyck.com/story2088_Gene_Simmons_Directly_Threatens_Anonymous_With_Legal_Action_Jail_Time |title=Gene Simmons Directly Threatens Anonymous With Legal Action, Jail Time |last=Mennecke |first=Thomas |date=2010-10-17 |publisher=SLYK |
This led to additional attacks and subsequently more downtime for his websites.<ref name="Mennecke1"/><ref name="Read">{{cite web |url=http://gawker.com/5666411/gene-simmons-doesnt-understand-the-internet |title=Gene Simmons Doesn't Understand the Internet |last=Read |first=Max |date=2010-10-18<!-- 03:40 AM--> |work=[[Gawker]] |
===RIAA===
On October 26, 2010, [[LimeWire]] was ordered to disable the "searching, downloading, uploading, file trading and/or file distribution functionality" after losing a court battle with the [[RIAA]] over claims of copyright infringement. Not satisfied with the injunction, the RIAA announced its intention to continue the ''[[Arista Records LLC v. Lime Group LLC]]'' trial to recover damages caused by the program.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2616212420101026 |title=Court shuts down LimeWire music-sharing service |work=[[Reuters]] |first1=Yinka |last1=Adegoke |first2=Jonathan |last2=Stempel |date=2010-10-26 |
During the damages phase of the LimeWire trial, the RIAA attempted to switch from seeking statutory damages per-work to seeking them per-infringement, but did not quote a total damage amount, nor a method of calculating the number of infringements.<ref name=DamagesRuling>{{cite web|url=http://beckermanlegal.com/Lawyer_Copyright_Internet_Law/arista_limewire_110310DecisionStatutoryDamages.pdf|title=Opinion and order - Case 1:06-cv-05936-KMW -DCF Document 678|date=2011-03-10|
▲On October 26, 2010, [[LimeWire]] was ordered to disable the "searching, downloading, uploading, file trading and/or file distribution functionality" after losing a court battle with the [[RIAA]] over claims of copyright infringement. Not satisfied with the injunction, the RIAA announced its intention to continue the ''[[Arista Records LLC v. Lime Group LLC]]'' trial to recover damages caused by the program.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2616212420101026 |title=Court shuts down LimeWire music-sharing service |work=[[Reuters]] |first1=Yinka |last1=Adegoke |first2=Jonathan |last2=Stempel |date=2010-10-26 |accessdate=2010-10-26}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-20020786-261.html |title=Judge slaps Lime Wire with permanent injunction |first=Greg |last=Sandoval |work=[[CNET]] |date=2010-10-26 |accessdate=2010-10-26}}</ref> In retaliation,<ref name="cnbc">{{cite web |url=https://www.cnbc.com/id/39910518 |title=The Shared Enemy of Hollywood, Gene Simmons and Hustler |first=Chris |last=Morris |date=2010-10-29 |publisher=[[CNBC]] |accessdate=2010-12-23}}</ref> members of Operation Payback announced that they would attack RIAA's website on October 29, despite the fact that the group typically does not hit the same target twice.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.slyck.com/story2109_Anonymous_Planning_DDoS_Attack_Against_the_RIAA |title=Anonymous Planning DDoS Attack Against the RIAA |date=2010-10-28 |publisher=Slyck.com |first=Thomas |last=Mennecke |accessdate=2010-12-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2371670,00.asp |title='Anonymous' Plans DDoS Attack on RIAA on Friday |date=2010-10-28 |first=Mark |last=Hachman |publisher=[[PC Magazine]] |accessdate=2010-12-23}}</ref> On October 29, ''riaa.org'' indeed was taken offline via [[denial-of-service attack]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.slyck.com/story2110_RIAA_and_LimeWire_Both_Are_Offline |title=RIAA and LimeWire Both are Offline |date=2010-10-29 |first=Thomas |last=Mennecke |publisher=[[Slyck.com]] |accessdate=2010-12-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2371784,00.asp |title='Anonymous' DDoS Attack Takes Down RIAA Site |date=2010-10-29 |first=Mark |last=Hachman |publisher=PC Magazine |accessdate=2010-12-23}}</ref> After the attack, ''riaa.com'' and ''riaa.org'' sites were inaccessible in Europe.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/Anonymous-Attacks-RIAA-over-LimeWire-Shutdown-164053.shtml |title=Anonymous Attacks RIAA over LimeWire Shutdown |date=2010-11-01 |first=Lucian |last=Constantin |publisher=[[Softpedia]] |accessdate=2010-12-23}}</ref> Operation Payback's main site was attacked later that day, and they subsequently moved their website from ''tieve.tk'' to ''anonops.net''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/11/01/riaa_anon_ddos/ |title=RIAA and Anonymous sites both downed by DDoS assaults |date=2010-11-01 |first=John |last=Leyden |publisher=The Register |accessdate=2010-12-23}}</ref><ref name="net-security">{{cite web |url=http://www.net-security.org/secworld.php?id=10080 |title=RIAA's sites downed by Anonymous DDoS attack |date=2010-11-01 |work=net-security.org |first=Zeljika |last=Zorz |accessdate=2010-12-23}}</ref>
▲During the damages phase of the LimeWire trial, the RIAA attempted to switch from seeking statutory damages per-work to seeking them per-infringement, but did not quote a total damage amount, nor a method of calculating the number of infringements.<ref name=DamagesRuling>{{cite web|url=http://beckermanlegal.com/Lawyer_Copyright_Internet_Law/arista_limewire_110310DecisionStatutoryDamages.pdf|title=Opinion and order - Case 1:06-cv-05936-KMW -DCF Document 678|date=2011-03-10|accessdate=2012-10-16}}</ref> The judge in the case rejected the proposal, holding that case law only supported statutory damages on a per-work basis for large-scale infringement, thus capping the potential award at $1.5 billion.<ref name=DamagesRuling/> On March 15, 2011, four days after the ruling, a report appeared on Law.com highlighting the judge's remark that the per-infringement award sought by the record companies might total in the "trillions"; the report estimated $75 trillion in its attention-grabbing headline (USA's [[List of countries by GDP (nominal)|nominal GDP]] in 2012-2013 was about $16–17 trillion).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2014/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2012&ey=2019&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&pr1.x=41&pr1.y=3&c=512%2C668%2C914%2C672%2C612%2C946%2C614%2C137%2C311%2C962%2C213%2C674%2C911%2C676%2C193%2C548%2C122%2C556%2C912%2C678%2C313%2C181%2C419%2C867%2C513%2C682%2C316%2C684%2C913%2C273%2C124%2C868%2C339%2C921%2C638%2C948%2C514%2C943%2C218%2C686%2C963%2C688%2C616%2C518%2C223%2C728%2C516%2C558%2C918%2C138%2C748%2C196%2C618%2C278%2C624%2C692%2C522%2C694%2C622%2C142%2C156%2C449%2C626%2C564%2C628%2C565%2C228%2C283%2C924%2C853%2C233%2C288%2C632%2C293%2C636%2C566%2C634%2C964%2C238%2C182%2C662%2C453%2C960%2C968%2C423%2C922%2C935%2C714%2C128%2C862%2C611%2C135%2C321%2C716%2C243%2C456%2C248%2C722%2C469%2C942%2C253%2C718%2C642%2C724%2C643%2C576%2C939%2C936%2C644%2C961%2C819%2C813%2C172%2C199%2C132%2C733%2C646%2C184%2C648%2C524%2C915%2C361%2C134%2C362%2C652%2C364%2C174%2C732%2C328%2C366%2C258%2C734%2C656%2C144%2C654%2C146%2C336%2C463%2C263%2C528%2C268%2C923%2C532%2C738%2C944%2C578%2C176%2C537%2C534%2C742%2C536%2C866%2C429%2C369%2C433%2C744%2C178%2C186%2C436%2C925%2C136%2C869%2C343%2C746%2C158%2C926%2C439%2C466%2C916%2C112%2C664%2C111%2C826%2C298%2C542%2C927%2C967%2C846%2C443%2C299%2C917%2C582%2C544%2C474%2C941%2C754%2C446%2C698%2C666&s=NGDPD&grp=0&a=|title=Report for Selected Countries and Subjects|publisher=}}</ref> This figure was repeated in ''[[PC Magazine]]'' on March 23.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2382494,00.asp|title=P2P Music File Sharing Dropped After Limewire Shutdown, NPD Says|last=Albanesius|first=Chloe|date=2011-03-23|accessdate=2012-10-16}}</ref> An Operation Payback call-to-arms followed, citing the $75 trillion figure as if it were still being actively sought by the RIAA, and a DDoS attack on the RIAA website commenced on March 25.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.infosecisland.com/blogview/12729-RIAA-Targeted-by-Anonymous-Operation-Payback.html|title=RIAA Targeted by Anonymous' Operation Payback|date=2011-03-28|accessdate=2012-10-16}}</ref>
===November 5, 2010 attacks===
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Around October 28, 2010, the group set up a new website with the intention of coordinating protests around the world to raise awareness of their cause. The date for the protest activities were on November 5, the intended day of the [[Gunpowder Plot]], with which Anonymous heavily affiliates through its use of [[Guy Fawkes]] masks.
The protest activity included an attack on the [[United States Copyright Office]], after which the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] launched an investigation.<ref name="cnet">{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-20022264-261.html |title=FBI probes 4chan's 'Anonymous' DDoS attacks |first=Greg |last=Sandoval |publisher=[[CNET.com]] |date=2010-11-09 |
===Hiatus and resumption of website attacks===
On November 9, 2010, Operation Payback temporarily ceased attacking websites.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.myce.com/news/operation-payback-takes-a-break-but-for-how-long-36311/ |title=Operation Payback takes a break ... but for how long? |author=wconeybeer |date=2010-11-09 |work=myce.com |
==Sarah Palin==
On December 8, 2010, U.S. politician [[Sarah Palin]] announced that her website and personal credit card information were compromised.<ref name="sarah-1"/> Palin's team believed the attack was executed by Anonymous, though Anonymous never commented about Palin as a possible target for any attack.<ref name="sarah-1"/><ref name="metro">{{cite web |url=http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/849918-sarah-palin-website-hit-by-wikileaks-operation-payback-ddos-attack |title=Sarah Palin website hit by WikiLeaks Operation Payback DDoS attack |date=2010-12-09 |
==Operation Avenge Assange==
In December 2010, [[WikiLeaks]] came under intense pressure to stop publishing secret U.S. diplomatic cables. Corporations such as [[Amazon.com|Amazon]], [[PayPal]], [[BankAmerica]], Swiss bank [[PostFinance]], [[MasterCard]] and [[Visa Inc.|Visa]] either stopped working with or froze their customers' donations to WikiLeaks due to political pressures. In response, those behind Operation Payback directed their activities against these companies.<ref name="panda">{{cite web|url=http://pandalabs.pandasecurity.com/operationpayback-broadens-to-operation-avenge-assange/ |title=Operation:Payback broadens to "Operation Avenge Assange" |work=pandasecurity.com |date=2010-12-06 |
On December 10, 2010, ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' reported that Anonymous had threatened to disrupt British government websites if Assange were extradited to Sweden.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8193210/WikiLeaks-hackers-threaten-British-Government.html |title=WikiLeaks Hackers Threaten British Government |date=2010-12-10 |
[[Electronic Frontier Foundation]] co-founder [[John Perry Barlow]] described the attacks as "the [[shot heard round the world]]—this is [[Battles of Lexington and Concord|Lexington]]."<ref>{{cite news|last=Cohen|first=Noam|title=Web Attackers Find a Cause in WikiLeaks|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/10/world/10wiki.html|
The following is a list of sites and domains known to have been targeted<!-- (in reliable sources)-->:
{| class="wikitable
|-
! Target<!-- <ref name="anontargets">{{cite web |url=http://anonops.net/targets.php |title=Operation Payback - Targets |
! Site<!-- <ref name="anontargets"/> -->
! Attack time <!-- <ref name="anontargets"/>-->
Line 114 ⟶ 111:
|''aklagare.se''
|align="center"|2010-12-07
|align="center"|<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2010/dec/15/wikileaks-met-police-investigate-anonymous |title=WikiLeaks: Police to investigate Anonymous online attacks |date=2010-12-15 |
|-
|[[EveryDNS]]
Line 124 ⟶ 121:
|''lieberman.senate.gov''
|align="center"|2010-12-08
|align="center"|<ref name="panda2">{{cite web |url=http://pandalabs.pandasecurity.com/tis-the-season-of-ddos-wikileaks-editio/ |title='Tis the Season of DDoS – WikiLeaks Edition |date=2010-12-04 |
|-
|[[MasterCard]]
|''mastercard.com''
|align="center"|2010-12-08
|align="center"|<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/dec/08/operation-payback-mastercard-website-wikileaks |title=Operation Payback cripples Mastercard site in revenge for WikiLeaks ban |date=2010-12-08 |
|-
|[[Claes Borgström|Borgstrom]] and [[Thomas Bodström|Bodström]]
Line 144 ⟶ 141:
|''sarahpac.com''
|align="center"|2010-12-08
|align="center"|<ref name="sarah-1">{{cite web |url=http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/12/exclusive-palin-under-cyber-attack-from-wikileaks-supporters-in-operation-payback.html |title=Exclusive: Sarah Palin Under Cyber-Attack from Wikileaks Supporters in 'Operation Payback' |date=2010-12-08 |
|-
|[[PayPal]]
|''thepaypalblog.com''
|align="center"|2010-12-09
|align="center"|<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE6BA05O20101211 |title=WikiLeaks supporters' group abandons cyber attacks |date=2010-12-11 |
|-
|[[Amazon.com|Amazon]]
|''amazon.com''
|align="center"|2010-12-09<br/>(Aborted)
|align="center"|<ref name="AmazonAborted">{{cite web |url=http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2010/12/09/operation-payback-aborts-attack-against-amazon-com.html |title=Operation Payback aborts attack against Amazon.com |first=Paul |last=Mutton |date=2010-12-09 |
|-
|PayPal
|''api.paypal.com:443''
|align="center"|2010-12-10
|align="center"|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thepaypalblog.com/2010/12/update-on-paypal-site-status/ |title=Update on PayPal site status |date=2010-12-09 |
|-
|[[MoneyBookers]]
|''moneybookers.com''
|align="center"|2010-12-10
|align="center"|<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL3E6N80HH20101210 |title=Activists target Dutch website after boy arrested |date=2010-12-10 |
|-
|Conservatives4Palin
|''conservatives4palin.com''
|align="center"|2010-12-10
|align="center"|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://conservatives4palin.com/2010/12/were-temporarily-moving-back-to-blogger-as-were-under-attack.html |title=We're Temporarily Moving Back to Blogger As We're Under Attack |date=2010-12-10 |
|-
|}
Operation Payback's attempt to take down Amazon.com was aborted after they failed to recruit enough users to their botnet; CNN noted that the massive Amazon website "is almost impossible to crash."<ref name="AmazonAborted"/><!-- The failed DDoS attack has been attributed to Amazon's massive server capacity, which is normally used to handle the excessive traffic during the December [[holiday shopping season]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Why attackers can't take down Amazon.com |url=http://money.cnn.com/2010/12/09/technology/amazon_wikileaks_attack/ |first=Julianne |last=Pepitone |work=CNNMoney.com |publisher=CNN.com |date=2010-12-09 |
In late December, the FBI began to raid suspected participants in Operation Payback.<ref>{{cite web |title=FBI raids ISP in Anonymous DDoS investigation |url=http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9202838/FBI_raids_ISP_in_Anonymous_DDoS_investigation?taxonomyId=86 |first=Robert |last=McMillan |work=Computerworld
At the beginning of 2011, Operation Payback brought down [[Zimbabwe]]an government websites after the Zimbabwean [[Robert Mugabe|President's]] [[Grace Mugabe|wife]] sued a newspaper for $15 million for publishing a WikiLeaks cable that linked her with the alleged trade in [[Blood diamond|illicit diamonds]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/wikileaks-supporters-attack-zimbabwean-sites-20110102-19d1x.html|title=WikiLeaks supporters attack Zimbabwean sites|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=2 January 2011 }}</ref> On January 27, 2011, five males aged between 15 and 26 were arrested in early morning raids in the U.K. on suspicion of involvement,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12299137|title=Five arrested over 'Anonymous' web attacks|date=27 January 2011|
==Criticism==
The [[United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office]] said that when its site was attacked, those responsible were depriving its citizens of access to information they have a democratic right to access.<ref name="cmu">{{cite web |url=http://www.thecmuwebsite.com/article/riaa-site-goes-down-following-limewire-win/ |title=RIAA site goes down following LimeWire win |date=2010-11-01 |author=cmumusicnews |work=thecmuwebsite.com |
A spokesman for the MPAA said, "It's troubling that these groups seem more concerned about the rights of those who steal and copy films, music, books, and other creative resources than the rights of American workers who are producing these products."<ref name="cnet" />
There was also some criticism from the [[Pirate Party UK]] and [[United States Pirate Party]], which in a joint public statement urged the group to "Immediately cease the Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks and to instead seek out a legal method to express your frustration and disquiet with the copyright industry, and their perversions of copyright law for personal gain."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://torrentfreak.com/pirate-parties-use-influence-to-halt-operation-payback-101120/ |title=Pirate Parties Use Influence to Halt Anonymous Operation Payback |date=2010-11-20 |author=enigmax |publisher=TorrentFreak |work=torrentfreak.com |
While acknowledging that the DDoS attacks on credit card and banking web sites serve as political protests, cyber experts said that Operation Payback has not done any long-term damage: most sites are back online
==Tools and communication==
Operation Payback members used a modified version of the [[Low Orbit Ion Cannon]] (LOIC) to execute the DDoS attacks.<ref name="softpedia1">{{cite news |title=Anonymous DDoS Tool Gets Botnet Capabilities |first=Lucian |last=Constantin |newspaper=[[Softpedia]] |date=2010-09-27 |url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/Anonymous-DDoS-Tool-Gets-Botnet-Capabilities-158163.shtml |
Members of Operation Payback reportedly used an
▲Operation Payback members used a modified version of the [[Low Orbit Ion Cannon]] (LOIC) to execute the DDoS attacks.<ref name="softpedia1">{{cite news |title=Anonymous DDoS Tool Gets Botnet Capabilities |first=Lucian |last=Constantin |newspaper=[[Softpedia]] |date=2010-09-27 |url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/Anonymous-DDoS-Tool-Gets-Botnet-Capabilities-158163.shtml |accessdate=2010-10-22}}</ref> In September 2010, a "Hive Mind" mode was added to the LOIC.<ref name="softpedia1"/> While in Hive Mind mode, the LOIC connects to [[Internet Relay Chat|IRC]], where it can be controlled remotely. This allows computers with LOIC installed on them to behave as if they were a part of a [[botnet]]. Utilising this tool, the coordinators of Operation Payback were able to quickly take down websites belonging to anti-piracy groups.<ref name="softpedia1"/> Botnets of all sizes have also been used.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pandalabs.pandasecurity.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/ScreenHunter_01-Sep.-17-13.07.jpg |title=Operation Payback flyer from mpaa.org attack |date=2010-09-17 |accessdate=2010-10-29}}</ref>
▲Members of Operation Payback reportedly used an [[IRC]] channel to communicate about which targets to select, after which instructions for attacking the targets were produced and posted on various [[imageboards]] (4chan/7chan/711chan/420chan/808chan).<ref name="p2pnet">{{cite interview|subject=Anonymous |interviewer=Jon Newton |title=p2pnet talks with Operation Payback |url=http://www.p2pnet.net/story/45762 |type=Interview: Transcript |work=p2pnet.net |date=2010-11-18 |accessdate=2010-12-23}}</ref> Media such as [[Twitter]] and [[Facebook]] were also been utilized for coordination,<ref name="p2pnet"/> but on December 8, 2010, Operation Payback's Facebook page was removed and its official Twitter account was suspended.<ref name="visa">{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20025075-281.html |title=Facebook, Twitter boot WikiLeaks supporters after Visa attack |first=Elinor |last=Mills |date=2010-12-08 |accessdate=2010-12-09 |publisher=Cnet |work=news.cnet.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.heise.de/tp/blogs/6/148908 |title=Facebook und Twitter gegen "Operation Payback" |first=Florian |last=Rötzer |date=2010-12-08 |accessdate=2010-12-08 |work=heise.de |language=German}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://blogs.forbes.com/mikeisaac/2010/12/08/facebook-and-twitter-suspend-operation-payback-accounts/ |title=Facebook and Twitter Suspend Operation Payback Accounts |first=Mike |last=Isaac |date=2010-12-08 |accessdate=2010-12-09 |publisher=Forbes |work=blogs.forbes.com}}<!-- Do not remove this source, it has the most complete information and its supported by primary sources --></ref> Additionally a federal court order forced [[Encyclopedia Dramatica]] to delete its Operation Payback article, which featured a detailed history of the operation, including personal information of some individuals associated with the companies attacked .<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gawker.com/5709789/noose-closes-around-pro+wikileaks-vigilantes |title=Noose Closes Around Pro-WikiLeaks Vigilantes |first=Ryan |last=Tate |date=2010-12-09 |accessdate=2010-12-09 |work=gawker.com |publisher=[[Valleywag]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812065510/http://gawker.com/5709789/noose-closes-around-pro+wikileaks-vigilantes |archive-date=2011-08-12 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Anonymous keeps the cannons firing while pressure mounts |first=Steve |last=Ragan |url=http://www.thetechherald.com/article.php/201049/6530/Anonymous-keeps-the-cannons-firing-while-pressure-mounts?page=1 |newspaper=The Tech Herald |page=1 |date=2010-12-09 |accessdate=2010-12-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=WikiLeaks cables: Shell, Operation Payback and Assange for the Nobel prize - as it happened |first1=Matthew |last1=Weaver |first2=Mark |last2=Tran |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/blog/2010/dec/09/wikileaks-us-embassy-cables-live-updates |newspaper=The Guardian |date=2010-12-09 |accessdate=2010-12-23 |location=London}}</ref>
== Federal indictment ==
In July 2011, 14 members of Operation Avenge Assange were arrested.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-07-27 |title=Anonymous, LulzSec Hacking Groups Call for PayPal Boycott |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna43913282 |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref> In October 2013, 13 members of Operation Payback were indicted in Federal court in [[Alexandria, Virginia]] as co-conspirators in violation of [[Conspiracy against the United States|18 U.S.C. §
==See also==
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[[Category:WikiLeaks]]
[[Category:Cybercrime]]
[[Category:Anonymous (hacker group)]]
[[Category:Internet events]]
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