Protest Warrior Hacker Caught

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[mnehring]

In January 2005, Jeremy Hammond and the hacker group collectively known as the "Internet Liberation Front" gained illegal access to the ProtestWarrior server. Thousands of customer credit card numbers were then stolen for the purpose of making millions of dollars in donations to various leftwing organizations. In early February, ProtestWarrior discovered the illegal breach and the identity of the criminals responsible.

Using the hacker recruiting ground www.hackthissite.org, Jeremy Hammond put together and led a team of politically motivated "hacktivists" to probe the ProtestWarrior server for months until an exploit was found. When an obscure vulnerability was discovered in the PW server's newsletter subscription code, they managed to upload malicious files that gave them the ability to execute commands on the server.

Upon discovering the hack, we immediately began collecting information on the breach and managed to penetrate Jeremy's inner circle. We then collected evidence that more than 5,000 credit card numbers had been stolen by Jeremy and the "Internet Liberation Front" and that they were planning on doing the following:

*charge hundreds of dollars per stolen credit card number as donations to various left-wing organizations by using an automated donation submission script

*send the entire ProtestWarrior HQ database (complete with usernames, passwords, and operation details) to left-wing groups hostile to ProtestWarrior (including the entire contents of our mail server)

*upload all credit card numbers and other sensitive customer information to hundreds of anarchist and left-wing sites (specifically Indymedia) as a downloadable zip file

*anonymously send press releases and material to thousands of media contacts to boast of the malicious hack and the millions of dollars defrauded, and to publish any and all sensitive information regarding the ProtestWarrior organization

*erase the entire PW server

*launch simultaneous attacks on other conservative sites

Upon discovering their plans, we contacted the FBI and the Secret Service, who immediately began investigating the case. We were able to provide them with a tremendous amount of evidence regarding the breach, the criminals responsible, and their plans to commit massive credit card fraud. We also reported the incident to all credit card companies involved to make sure that ProtestWarrior's customers were protected. With our help, the FBI was able to thwart Jeremy and his army of "hacktivists".

After contacting the FBI, we immediately hired a security consultant and removed all sensitive information from the server. We eventually moved the server to a new box, where we blocked off the system and data files from the web server and changed the online store software to a super- secure system that stores zero sensitive customer information. In addition, we hired an internet security firm to run a series of vigorous vulnerability tests on our server, which our server all passed.

The reason we haven't made this announcement earlier is that our customers were already protected and we didn't want to jeopardize the ongoing FBI investigation of Jeremy and his "hacktivist" army.

The reason we're posting this now is that Jeremy, in a desperate move, is publicly appealing to the internet community regarding his pending FBI investigation. Using his site www.freejeremy. com, he is trying to solicit donations for his defense fund and generate public sympathy while spreading slanderous disinformation regarding ProtestWarrior and the events leading up to the FBI investigation.

We will soon be releasing much more information and details regarding the incident and the ongoing FBI investigation. Rest assured, justice will be served.

-Kfir and Alan www.protestwarrior.com

[marty60]

he looks like he deserves a good hard slap in that punky little face.

[Salamander]

Perhaps someone should tell them.
They're *very* touchy about what people use their services for.....:)

[libstripper]

In the upcoming years he may find his anal retentivity is somewhat attenuated.

[Salamander]

If he's lucky that's all that'll get slapped.
Gotta run for a bit.
Somebody keep my chair warm...:))

BBL!

[loudzoo]

Hey look - DUmmie Stephenson signed the petition!

"DUmmie Stephenson, DUmmieLand Please donate to Andy Stephenson in stead of this guy. DUmmies 4EVER"

Shameless!!!

=;-]

[libstripper]

Seeing how involved with his computers he was, that could add up to tens of thousands of pages of information.

[rwfromkansas]

His website is is hosted by giznet.com.

E-mail them to tell him he is violating his TOS by defending his hacker attacks using their webspace:

abuse@giznet.com

As for Jeremy himself, here is his public contact info from his WHOIS record:

Free Jeremy Legal Defense Team (ID00178477)
Room 905, 219 South Dearborn Street
Chicago, IL 60604
United States
Phone: +31.24311333

This jackoff also has militaryoffcampus.com and other sites registered to his name. This guy is worthy of jail.

[Pyro7480]

BTTT

[BaBaStooey]

Is Belly Girl OK? She can stay over at my place until its safe again. I'd love to keep her company.

[mnehring]

This is interesting.. his 'legal defense team' is next to the US Court of Appeals in Chicago:

http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:goYhDH3XsdkJ:www.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org/General_Info/General_Contact/general_contact.htm+219+South+Dearborn+Street&hl=en&start=4

I wonder if he has some 'high level' support?

[PA Engineer]

I hope they nail his butt to the wall for this!

Judging from his picture, methinks many of his fellow inmates will be doing that after he gets to prison

[XJarhead]

Without. Though apparently, she's not a model -- just the girlfriend of one of the guys who runs the site.

[AirBorn]

".....FREE JEREMY DOT COM!!!!..."

Why the Hell would ANYONE trust GOING on a SITE that is RUN by hackers in the first place!!

They might as well say,"...EX-Cons and Psychopaths are looking to form a defense team--to DO this..we need to USE someone's home living room...or dark, dark, dank basement for the meetings. Basement should be located towards back of house or in a sound proof room....hopefully with no windows and a forrest out back. House Yard implements like shovels a plus!"

MAYBE...someone HERE should start a FREEJEREMYTHEHACKER.com site...and when the libbies go on it---we can feed pictures of Teddy Kennedy in the famous fat stomach bathing suit picture!!!--or HILLARY'S Fat photo in HER suit!! THAT would turn them all OFF being a liberal real quick!!

Chris

[CyberAnt]

It was his "intent to defraud" - not that he actually completed the act.

[bk1000]

"The elf, himself."

Oh, this guy is going to be 'tossing salad' nightly!

[RikaStrom]

placemarker

[rwfromkansas]

That could just be where the fund is located or something, I don't know.

[talmand]

I looked over the petition just to see what people are posting. I'd have to say the majority of the negative comments are rather rude and unnecessary. I would expect better from some people.

Anyway, this guy has no case. He pretty much admits to committing the crime in his defense. His defense is an interesting tactic of saying I hadn't done this or that YET. Except that the other things he did such as hacking into the server he did not have permissions for and copying the credit card info of customers from that server are in fact crimes themselves and well-known crimes at that. I imagine a plea bargain is in his future. I would hope the FBI would pursue a punishment of the full extent of the law without plea bargain just to make an example of this guy's stupidity.

If I copy a person's credit card number without their knowledge or consent then that is considered a crime regardless of what my intentions are nor if I did anything with the info. It doesn't matter how I got the credit card number to begin with. That is credit card fraud. Or at least conspiracy. My intentions determine my punishment, not whether I committed the crime or not.

I find it interesting that the majority of the people that posted support of him seem to think that would he did should not be considered illegal. Many of them simply because he had opposing political beliefs than his target. Fascinating.

So I guess in his worldview I can go into his house at any time I wish as long as I do not take anything nor damage something. I can write down his credit card info to take home with me as long as I don't charge anything to it. Or it's fine as long as I disagree with him on something political in nature. Not a very bright guy.

He got caught and now he's crying victim of a right-wing fascists conspiracy that runs right up to the very top levels of our government that target previously unremarkable and unknown people. Sounds familiar.

[Stultis]

Soft, doughy face, full mouth... Oh, he'll be "popular" in the slammer.

"Hey, punk, you're no 'political prisoner,' you're my bitc....."

[Allosaurs_r_us]

It also sucks that Protest Warrior had to spend all this money and time tracking down this slimebag, hiring security experts, and retooling its server. That's why I have no sympathy even for the teenage "joy-riding" hackers who just do it for "fun." It isn't fun if you're the one being hacked and if you're the one whose personal information has just gotten spread all over the Internet.

 

Yep! Besides, even though he did not use the #'s, are we to just take his word for it that he hasn't leaked them to his buds? I am also sure the folks who's numbers were stored on the site had to get new cards. This is no small expense to the issuers. They will also hav to monitor their credit reports for quite some time. No crime indeed!