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Anonymous Sends Warning To 'Hacktivists' Looking To Take Down Websites
Featured Image Credit: Alamy
Hacker group Anonymous have been targeting the Russian government in response to Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, which has left thousands dead and forced more than 1.5 million people to flee the country.
Representatives for the group told The Independent they were planning a series of new moves including 'trolling and hacking' aimed at damaging, disrupting or otherwise showing up the Putin regime.
Anonymous claims to have hit more than 1,500 Russian websites and was keen to stress it is going after the Putin regime rather than indiscriminately targeting the Russian people.
#Anonymous #OpRussia is targeting the government entity controlled by Putin. We are not engaging in cyber warfare against the civilian infrastructure of Russia. In some instances, Putin, or even the US government may choose to use us as pawns - we are aware of these risks.
— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) March 6, 2022
The group has also warned so-called 'hacktivists' who have seen Putin's invasion of Ukraine and thought they might try to be a thorn in his side that they must not publicly take credit for hacking websites or leaking information.
Anonymous wrote: "We are not engaging in cyber warfare against the civilian infrastructure of Russia. In some instances, Putin, or even the US government may choose to use us as pawns - we are aware of these risks.
"Hacktivists: Do not take credit for taking down websites, or leaking information.
"If you are attacking websites without obfuscating your identity you run the risk of being used as a bargaining tool by NATO, or other various agencies involved."
As their name might suggest, one of the key components of Anonymous is anonymity and as much as a 'hacktivist' might want to take credit for striking some sort of blow against the Putin regime, it is far more important to avoid the limelight.
Hacktivists: Do not take credit for taking down websites, or leaking information. If you are attacking websites without obfuscating your identity you run the risk of being used as a bargaining tool by NATO, or other various agencies involved.#Anonymous https://t.co/6GThBTjOVg
— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) March 6, 2022
There may be other consequences to the hackings, as NBC Today reports that Russia could view the Anonymous hacks as Western attacks and retaliate with cyber hacks of their own against government websites or individuals.
When asked if the average American small business owner could become a target, US cybersecurity director Jen Easterly told the outlet: "Everybody's at risk, which is why they need to take the steps to protect their systems, their networks and their data.
"This could happen to anyone, there is no one that is immune to potentially getting hacked."
Anonymous has insisted its goal is peace and their actions against the Putin regime are their way of 'demonstrating against an unjust war'.
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