How Al-Qaida Site Was Hijacked

Wired.com ^ | 8/10/02 | Patrick Di Justo

[LibWhacker]

A Maryland hacker used simple Web tools like whois and traceroute -- as well as online translation software and an anti-cybersquatting service -- to take over the domain name of al-Qaida's website. And he's ready to do it again.

Jon Messner, the Internet entrepreneur who perpetrated the recent domain hijacking, used SnapName's Snapback service to obtain ownership of the domain www.alneda.com.

[El Sordo]

Good old American ingenuity, by gosh.

[Katya]

With some of the 9-11 guys having stayed in Laurel, MD..I sure hope this guy is changing his telephone number. Honestly, it's both a brave and stupid thing to have done without alerting authorities beforehand. Unfortunately it sounds like he'd have needed months before to heads up the Feds, who still seem to be trailing.

[gcruse]

How's about changing the FBI's name to reflect reality? I suggest Forget Bothering the Islamists.

[smith288]

He should have just said to ignore the "imposter" who says the website is fake. Then posted a call to end the violence and to take arms against poverty and hopelessness by educating themselves and promoting peace.

That would have been precious

[Fred Mertz]

When Messner took control of alneda.com, he immediately contacted federal authorities. "The frustrating part was that it took me five days to actually talk to someone (in the FBI) who had a working knowledge of the Internet, and by that time the opportunity was gone.

Interesting article.

[Lazamataz]

Tracking the posters was particularly ingenious. I hope he gave all the IP information to the FBI and NSA people.

[McGavin999]

ROTFLMCO, I just love American knowhow and inginuity. Good Lord, we have to get some internet savy people into the FBI. I knew we were behind, but that's waaaaayyyyy too far behind.

[Lazamataz]

Very interesting.

[LibWhacker]

I hope so, too. It gets me, though, that they asked him not to talk about it and he's blabbed it all over the internet!

[LibWhacker]

"He told them it was a trap, not to go there, the infidels were tracking their information, they had taken control of the domain and stay away."

How perfect would this have been if he and the FBI had been able to moderate the site and screen warnings like this one out? They might have been able to keep up the ruse for at least a little longer and collect more data.

[LibWhacker]

Yep, I think he ought to go into hiding, too. But I hope he keeps up the work!

[gcruse]

I'm chary of the split-second bit in catching the transfer, but hey. It's too bad the ATF isn't as negligent as the FBI, else many lives could have been saved at Waco.

[LibWhacker]

Good Lord, we have to get some internet savy people into the FBI.

I think this sort of thing is well within the capabilities of a whole lot of Freepers around here. Maybe we should try to get something going.

[SkyPilot]

I wonder if someone will ever hack into Hillary!'s website and instruct patrons that "lesbians are wicked."

[LibWhacker]

I checked out http://snapnames.com, which was mentioned in the article, and it looks like you can "back-order" the domain names you want. And when they become available, BOOM!, they're yours in a flash.

[gcruse]

Okay. That makes sense. Thanks.

[aristeides]

Ali Al-Ali of Saudi Arabia is listed as the owner of drasat.com.

Messner was interviewed on Chris Core's talk show on WMAL a couple of nights ago. He said most of the visitors to alneda, while he was able to track them, were Saudis.

[reillyoburbank]

How about...Floundering Balky Idiots?

Man what a laughing stock our FBI has become. Maybe if they hadn't spent so much time covering up for Clinton and being the jack-booted thugs for El Reno they wouldn't be in such pathetic shape now. I'd hate to be an agent right now and have to admit it. I gues the smart one's (if there are any) don't admit to being part of this rag-tag group of gobment bozos.

[Dog]

Bravo!!!!!!!!!!!