Hackers Replace Al-Jazeera Web Site With American Flag

AP ^ | 3-27-2003 | Ted Bridis

[Cagey]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Hackers on Thursday replaced the English-language Web site for Arab satellite television network Al-Jazeera with a U.S. flag and the message "Let Freedom Ring."

The hackers, calling themselves the "Freedom Cyber Force Militia," briefly hijacked Internet traffic destined for Al-Jazeera's Web site and redirected it to a different Web page on computers operated by Networld Connections Inc., an Internet provider in Salt Lake City.

The likely hacking technique, called "DNS poisoning," fools so-called domain name servers across the Internet and is relatively difficult to defend against. Internet records show the Web directories sending traffic to Al-Jazeera's site were changed early Thursday, apparently without authorization.

The page also included the message, "God bless our troops," signed by a self-described "Patriot." There was no response to an e-mail sent to an address on the Web page.

"Certainly, it has been hacked," acknowledged Jihad Ali Ballout, a spokesman for Al-Jazeera. He described the attack as "a frontal, vicious attack on freedom of the press" and urged anyone with information about the hackers to contact authorities.

The Arab network's Web site has been suffering disruptions for days, ever since it showed pictures of dead and captive U.S. soldiers in Iraq.

Al-Jazeera, also based in Qatar, is an unusually independent voice in the Arab world.

AP-ES-03-27-03 1319EST

[madison10]

LOL @ limerick. So what's the cyberforce militia? Whoever they are...Thanks. ;)

[Capitalism2003]

"God bless those nerds."

Quote of the day

[Nam Vet]

"I see NOTHING! " Sgt. Schultz, Stalag 13

[justshe]

ROFL! Thanks for the ping!

[b4its2late]

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!

[justshe]

Al-Jazeera also has at least one crew embedded with U.S. troops in Iraq.

---

Source link, please?

[AmericanInTokyo]

LOL. gotta' love 'them Mormons!

[doug from upland]

Oh, the poor Islamists. Is there a defense fund to which we can contribute so they can hire someone to defend them from this outrage. Like Daschle, I am saddened over this.

[CarmelValleyite]

Very nice work -- heh heh heh

[Alberta's Child]

I don't have a link available now -- this is something I've heard on several occasions over the last few weeks.

I don't think this is news to most people here.

[mabelkitty]

WOW! That's impressive!

Props to the White hats to those tormenting the black hats.

[Redcloak]

According to The Register, they were going to move their site to a new server sometime soon. That Al Qaeda site that got snagged just after 9/11 by a porn site operator was doing just such a move when the guy snaked their domain name. I wonder if that just happened to Al Jazeera.

[PsyOp]

I love it. It's almost as good as the Smack-down the British Air-Marshal gave Al-jeez at last nights briefing.

[ppaul]

From a friend:

My daughter, Rachel Loy (who is in Austin on Spring Break this week) wrote this song 2 days ago for Matthew, a friend of ours in the Marines, fighting on the front lines. The response has been pretty incredible, so I just wanted you guys to hear it.

Go to: http://www.dudleyandbobshow.com/Rachel%20Loy-Same%20Man(Studio).mp3 to download the song.

[eleni121]

Way cool! The flag is there at the Ruskie site all bright and bushy tailed!

God bless the hackers!

[musicman]

That was GREAT the way the Brit told Al-Cheezera off!!!

If I knew how to "hack",when somebody tried to log on to their site,this would come on the screen:

"Welcome to Martha Stewart's 1001 Ways to Prepare Pork!! Everything You Need to Know, From Butcher to Table!!"

...or something VERY similar.....

[Cagey]

I'm listening to it now and I can see why the response has been incredible. Is your daughter the artist performing the song also?

Just a suggestion if you haven't done so already....start a thread featuring this song. Maybe print the lyrics out in addition to the mp3 link.

You've got a very talented daughter.

[Search4Truth]

Anyone can participate.

Obtain a DOS Command prompt "C:\"

Type "ping -t -s 1 -l 65500 213.30.280.218" (without the quotations).

When you want to stop it type "Control C" (without the quotations).

While the site is down, you will be getting "Request timed out" messages. that's OK, just let it run.

The more who do this the better.

[ksen]

We should offer those hackers amnesty from anything they might have in their sordid past. ;^)

[Eala]

Independent!!! I must be misreading this sentance, nobody can write something that stupid.

The AP can. And does. Clearly lesson #1 in journalism class is: "Turn off your brain."