Anonymous Claims Supreme Court And CIA Takedowns

Anonymous has claimed to have taken down the websites of the UK Supreme Court and the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and both sites are down at the time of publication.

A Twitter message from @UKAnonymous2012 read: “#TANGODOWN for those who have just joined us supremecourt.gov.uk & cia.gov #Anonymous #ExpectUs #OpTrialAtHome @YourAnonNews”.

If both have been taken down by Anonymous, it marks another successful DDoS hit on government organisations – something for which it has made a name for itself over the last year or so.

Motives?

Just this week, some suspected the group or another hacktivist collective to have been responsible for a strike on the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA). Earlier this year, the Ministry of Justice was hit by a DDoS, by a hacker who told TechWeekEurope they were a security consultant.

Motives for hitting the CIA would seem clear, given it is a crime fighting body which has a focus on the cyber arena. As for the UK Supreme Court, it has been the setting for the final extradition hearing of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

The Supreme Court is still deciding on its judgment over whether Assange should be sent back to Sweden to face rape charges. A decision is expected in the coming weeks.

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