Anonymous Members Hint at Unofficial Involvement in PSN Attack

[Tom Goldman]

Anonymous Members Hint at Unofficial Involvement in PSN Attack

Anonymous members have revealed that associated hackers may have used the organization's information in the attack on the PlayStation Network.

Non-centralized hacking group Anonymous has most recently [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/109475-Anonymous-on-PSN-Outage-For-Once-We-Didnt-Do-It] stating that credit card and personal information theft isn't its bag. However, Anonymous members have apparently divulged that the group may still have been indirectly responsible.

Anonymous associates speaking to the Financial Times reportedly believe that whoever attacked Sony actually was related to Anonymous in some way. One member said that he saw the details of a vulnerability in Sony's network in an Anonymous chat room shortly before the first attack took place. "The hacker that did this was supporting OpSony's movements," he said.

This appears to mean that a "member" of Anonymous could have carried out the attacks, but without "official" sanction from Anonymous "leadership." The reason for all the quotes is that Anonymous doesn't have a membership per se, but is made of a group of people that agree to carry out certain operations in certain situations.

Another member explains, as has been explained many times before: "If you say you are Anonymous, and do something as Anonymous, then Anonymous did it. Just because the rest of Anonymous might not agree with it, doesn't mean Anonymous didn't do it."

Other Anonymous members evidently said that the attacks on Sony were "uncalled for" and that the vehement Anonymous denials have stemmed from fear of getting caught by the FBI [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/109683-Homeland-Security-and-FBI-On-Hunt-for-PSN-Hackers]. They add that "no one is selling anything," referring primarily to PSN and SOE customer credit card information. Due to the intentionally ethereal nature of Anonymous, we may never know the truth, unless someone gets caught.

Source: Financial Times [http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/d0a21040-7800-11e0-b90e-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1LblR9y3J]

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[Azex]

so basically they did it. wonder if they gonna get pwned by any formal charges or if the whole thing will blow over

 

[DefinitelyPsychotic]

Whoever attacked Sony, I hope they get caught.

 

[killamanhunter]

or you know, become centered?

They really need to implement a screening process to weed out the douche-bags

or you know, form an actual leadership?

 

[Frizzle]

Why would you even say something remotely like that? Who is stupid enough to say that they had a small hand in anything illegal? Someone obviously doesn't like to remain Anonymous. I thought this group was dumb before, but now my thoughts have been confirmed.

 

[Gladion]

Something makes me want to laugh whenever I read the words 'Anonymous' (with capital A) and 'group' within the same context.

 

[spectrenihlus]

Whoever attacked Sony, I hope they get caught.

Would it be too much to hope for a public execution?

 

[cWg | Konka]

I hope the hackers get found and raped in prison

 

[wsmieszek]

Poor bastards, getting all confused by their own (dis)organization.

 

[Baresark]

Blah Blah Blah. This shit is so annoying. Some say yes, others say no. What could the FBI actually do without knowing who members are? And is it really proper to try and prosecute everyone for what a few individuals did?

Let me give you a hint: The answer to them is nothing and no.

Anonymous the group didn't actually do anything wrong. So, the group cannot be prosecuted. Now, if you wanted to pursue the fucktards involved, I say string them up.

PS. I still would love to see the Sony CEO's die in a fire, but not really.

 

[Ignatz_Zwakh]

Now they're all aflutter, now that one of their flock has gone "rogue". Or rather, this could be an elaborate cover for the crime they've committed.

 

[ShadowKatt]

or you know, become centered?

They really need to implement a screening process to weed out the douche-bags

or you know, form an actual leadership?

Which makes them infinitely easier to take down and kinda blows up the point of being anonymous.

People have been throwing out the military example, and I like it. If you have a soldier that goes nuts and shoots a bunch of people, you don't punish the whole army for the actions of the one. You punish the one for the actions of the one, and those responsible.

Find the hacker, and crucify him. That doesn't mean you should start rounding up every hacker, every cracker, every pirate, every pimple faced geek that found out how to install linux on their digital watch because one hacker broke into a website.

 

[The Bandit]

so basically they did it. wonder if they gonna get pwned by any formal charges or if the whole thing will blow over

Or the person is lying to get attention. How do you know he's Anonymous? What's to stop you from sending an email to a news organization claiming to be Anonymous?

 

[Echo136]

Why would you even say something remotely like that? Who is stupid enough to say that they had a small hand in anything illegal? Someone obviously doesn't like to remain Anonymous. I thought this group was dumb before, but now my thoughts have been confirmed.

Anonymous has had its hand in many illegal things. The only difference between this and any other action they've taken is that now they've gained the attention of the FBI, so they cower and say they had nothing to do with it, like cowards.

 

[Therumancer]

so basically they did it. wonder if they gonna get pwned by any formal charges or if the whole thing will blow over

But how do "they" get prosecuted when your dealing with a non-organization? They can go after specific people, but unless they want to prosecute every single person who has ever posted something Anonymously on the Internet (good luck) they have no hope of nailing the organization, which is an idea more than anything else.

That said, I must said I'm a little put off by Anonymous "associates" taking this track in their own defense. To be honest Anonymous is never likely to be the force it once was, because the illusion of a psuedo-united front, and strong action, was part of the appeal. Anonymous laughing at the FBI and the threat of prosecution is what the group was known for. If nothing else, I think their image is taking some serious hits due to the waffling, and it's waffling during what is arguably the most impressive thing Anonymous has ever done.

I disapprove of a lot of the things Anonymous has done, but in the case of going after Sony, I have a hard time seeing this as a bad thing. By cutting out the "other OS" option for their own greed, while claiming it was for security purposes when they have no noteworthy security to begin with, Sony has rendered itself fairly unsympathetic. They screwed their customers, and that's what brought this on.

It also occurs to me that if Sony was to publically admit it was wrong, and change their policies... ie surrender publically, then the attacks would end. All this garbage with groups like the FBI, is the goverment defending a group of people who don't deserve to be defended on the issue that set this up. I understand enforcing the law, but right now all of the time and money being spent here is in defense of a group that pulled something crooked and doesn't want to say they're sorry.

I understand this might make my priorities seem warped to some people, but when you look at the bottom line here, what is this actually about? A mountain is being made out of a mole hill. Anonymous acted on behalf of the users who are currently offline, and the problem persists because of Sony's pride more than anything else.

Rather than the current drama, I'm rapidly getting to the point where the gaming media should probably be taking a hardline stance toward Sony in telling them to get some kneepads and pucker up. That will end the "crisis", and also send the industry a message about how there are limits to what will be tolerated before what amounts to their own customers turns on them. This will result in a kinder, gentler industry overall, and everyone wins.

 

[Alphakirby]

Seriously,at this point all I want is to be able to go on PSN already!

 

[FamoFunk]

Who ever did it will get caught and punished. Attacking such a huge company like Sony, I don't think they'll last long to be honest.