Attackers hit the Website for MasterCard in an apparent cyber-retaliation for the company’s decision to stop processing donations to WikiLeaks.
MasterCard joined a growing list of companies targeted by
hacktivists associated with Anonymous, a loosely affiliated group tied
to the 4chan message board. The attack was confirmed in a tweet this
morning by user @Anon_Operation: “WE ARE GLAD TO TELL YOU THAT
http://www.mastercard.com/ is DOWN AND IT’S CONFIRMED! #ddos #wikileaks
Operation:Payback(is a b***h!) #PAYBACK.”
MasterCard has said it decided to cancel its business with WikiLeaks
because the company’s rules prohibit customers from directly or
indirectly engaging in or facilitating criminal behavior. The credit
card company has become the latest in a string of companies and
institutions being targeted in retaliation for recent actions against
the site.
On Dec. 7, attackers struck back at the Swedish prosecutor by launching a denial-of-service (DoS) attack on www.aklagare.se, making it impossible to access the site until recently. Swedish authorities pushed for the arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who was taken into custody in the U.K. earlier this week on sexual assault charges.
For more, read the eWeek article WikiLeaks Supporters Attack MasterCard Website.
