Hackers attack epilepsy victims on support forum
By Triston McIntyre
Society has always had a fear of hackers since the advent of computers and the internet. The hacker community’s notoriety has been relatively low, as of late, because of its relative dormancy. That all should change: possibly the first time ever, hackers have used their ways to attack innocent people physically, in the form of a methodical attack on an epilepsy support forum.
According to Wired, a set of truly malicious hackers went about the task of subjecting people who suffer from epilepsy to browser animations specifically intended to trigger epilepsy seizures and headaches. They used a series of scripts to post messages to the forum that redirected readers’ browsers to screen-filling animations that flashed a repetitive series of bright colors and squares rapidly.
Their sick intentions were successful; the Epilepsy Foundation reports that a small group of people who suffer from epilepsy experienced harsh migraines and seizures. One lady, RyAnne Fultz, was paralyzed by the flashing images in what she calls her worst attack in over a year until her son was able to break her attention and disable the browser window.
Some suspect the attack came from the hacking group Anonymous, which recently went about attacking the Church of Scientology.
This sick experiment is tragic; making political and religious statements through hacking is one thing…purposefully attacking people on a support forum is senseless and cruel.
Sadly, as hacking can’t ever be stopped, per se, there will always be a chance for a repeat occurrence, or one of even worse intent. Hopefully the people responsible can mature and realize the implications of their actions.
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March 29th, 2008
That’s one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever heard. I can’t imagine why anyone would do this, how can something like this give anyone pleasure?
Sickening.
March 29th, 2008
It strikes me as pretty poor journalism to level accusations of this deplorable type of crime against Anonymous without presenting any evidence whatsoever to support this ridiculous claim. Why would a benevolent protest group stoop to such lows for no reason?
March 29th, 2008
It is unfortunate that, given freedom, a few will destroy that freedom. These attacks were intended to be, and were, directly destructive. Lesser examples include DDoS attacks (usually on businesses), and viruses and worms. These all reduce and, to some extent, destroy our internet freedom. Yet a small percentage of people persist in this destructive behavior. Given an open field to walk across, these people erect barriers that make life more difficult for others. It is a low order of crime, really.
March 29th, 2008
“Some suspect the attack came from the hacking group Anonymous, which recently went about attacking the Church of Scientology.” Seriously? And this pure speculation was enough for you to both print it and put an old Anonymous logo up?
Young man, you do this site a disfavour.
Pray tell, how many Scientology courses have you done? Go on - confess your bias.
March 29th, 2008
Keep in mind that, if you’ve ever used a website, channel, chat, blog, forum, or IRL occasion to communicate with somebody where you did not divulge your personal information, you are a “member” of “anonymous”.
Virtually every hacker is a “member” of “anonymous,” and so are all of you opinionated bloggers and commenters. Anonymous isn’t a goddamned organization, and most anons don’t bother using proxies. The most common form of online anonymity is the assumption that nobody’s going to get quite pissy enough to look you up.
I’ve been a “member” of “anonymous” since I got broadband internet oh so many years ago. I don’t see how anyone could get this whole thing more wrong.
March 30th, 2008
Anonymous being nehind the attacks? That is absurd if anything they wouldn’t do that. Probably a scientology supporter is behind accusing Anonymous of doing this. This isn’t suprising since they use psychiatrists as scapegoats for numerous tragic events most disturbing is blaming psychiatrists for the Holocaust and 9-11. Anon is not responible who ever thinks Anonymous is responible is insane.
March 30th, 2008
Anonymous being nehind the attacks? That is absurd if anything they wouldn’t do that. Probably a scientology supporter is behind accusing Anonymous of doing this. This isn’t suprising since they use psychiatrists as scapegoats for numerous tragic events most disturbing is blaming psychiatrists for the Holocaust and 9-11. Anon is not responible who ever thinks Anonymous is responible is insane.
March 30th, 2008
Ummmm… how is this hacking? It’s more like a malicious Rick-roll.
March 30th, 2008
Anonymous is everywhere.
We are the the pimps and the prostitutes, the doctors and the politicians. We are the teachers and the schoolchildren. We are the jesters and outcasts of the internet.
Anonymous is largely chaotic neutral- we are both moral and immoral. However, the actions of a few do not represent the actions of the whole.
It is impossible to make judgments when anyone can be one of us.
March 30th, 2008
Maximillian: I was only forwarding information surmised by a different reputable news site, as indicated by the link. If you note, I made no judgement call on the inference of Anonymous being the source of the attack; I simply referred to the work of others. My age has absolutely nothing to do with the work in this piece, and I’d appreciate it if, in mature fashion, you would exercise a little more judgement before so hastily blaming my age for the content.
March 30th, 2008
and in reference to the “old” Anonymous logo, that was a logo created within the year…also, I haven’t attended a single Scientology course and think the whole “religion” to be a bit…forced.
March 30th, 2008
“Some suspect the attack came from the hacking group Anonymous, which recently went about attacking the Church of Scientology.”
To be honest, your grammar is poor “went about attacking”, your knowledge of the facts is poor (Anon is not a group, to re-iterate anonanon’s post, and anyone whos ever chosen not put their name is officially anonymous), also, posting re-directions is hardly die-hard hacking if one uses google.
And finally, this must have been done by an individual, reffering to what you think is a group, and blaming them for a single persons actions is bad enough, even more-so when they are not a group.
So in closing GTFO with your bulls**t
March 30th, 2008
If Anonymous claims responsibility for this, they perhaps are responsible. Hovewer, what you people don’t realise is that not every Anonymous poster supports those protests againt the cult of Scientology. The protesters may claim to be Anonymous, but what they really are is just an itty bitty baby group within Anonymous. They claim would equal my claim to be the USA. Get your facts straight.
March 30th, 2008
I would like to direct you attention to one of the many websites used by Anonymous. http://www.7chan.org/
For those of you who doesn’t have to time to read the first message on the frontpage, here’s a summary.
The Church of Scientology did this, in a sick-minded attempt to get Anon blamed for this, to lower public opinion about it. This is because Anon is subject to their fair game policy, which means they can harm our name with any means possible.
Proof? There’s no proof that we did it, but we still got blamed, right? That is all.
March 30th, 2008
The sub-set of anons who’re angsty 16 year olds that learned about anon through Fox’s “Internet Hate Machine” story were egged on by OSA plants to destroy the movement against $cientology. Scientologists have been attempting to incite violence for many weeks now, and the extremely immature and gullible teenie boys who want the world to fear them listened and are planning on destroying the anti-Co$ anons. Read all about it here on 420chan (NSFW or epileptics & contains gruesome images) Please spam this everywhere:
http://not420chan.com/i/res/116176.html
http://www.not420chan.com/i/res/121854.html
http://not420chan.com/i/res/122217.html
We told you if you didn’t like it then stay on /i/ and leave us alone. It was never a “secret club” for angsty boys who can’t get laid and want to feel superior to everyone because they know how to use gigaloader and can write simple scripts. We told you not to fuck with us, and for being such epic fucktards, letting OSA troll you, and general faggotry everyone at http://not420chan.com/i/ can BAWWW because you had it coming.
No, anonymous isn’t super hackers in secret websites, and anon isn’t an activist movement, it’s just the chaotic swirl of countless minds like a flock of starlings. But you, the “hate machine”, are a the vile cancer that results from the abomination of angsty boys taking Fox srsly and merging with OSA. Remember everyone, check scientology’s history of covert operations and see how they’ve partially taken over/influenced http://not420chan.com/i/
March 30th, 2008
The sub-set of anons who’re angsty 16 year olds that learned about anon through Fox’s “Internet Hate Machine” story were egged on by OSA plants to destroy the movement against $cientology. Scientologists have been attempting to incite violence for many weeks now, and the extremely immature and gullible teenie boys who want the world to fear them listened and are planning on destroying the anti-Co$ anons. Read all about it here on 420chan (NSFW or epileptics & contains gruesome images) Please spam this everywhere: http://not420chan.com/i/res/116176.html http://www.not420chan.com/i/res/121854.html http://not420chan.com/i/res/122217.html
We told you if you didn’t like it then stay on /i/ and leave us alone. It was never a “secret club” for angsty boys who can’t get laid and want to feel superior to everyone because they know how to use gigaloader and can write simple scripts. We told you not to fuck with us, and for being such epic fucktards, letting OSA troll you, and general faggotry everyone at http://not420chan.com/i/ can BAWWW because you had it coming.
No, anonymous isn’t super hackers in secret websites, and anon isn’t an activist movement, it’s just the chaotic swirl of countless minds like a flock of starlings. But you, the “hate machine”, are a the vile cancer that results from the abomination of angsty boys taking Fox srsly and merging with OSA. Remember everyone, check scientology’s history of covert operations and see how they’ve partially taken over/influenced http://not420chan.com/i
March 30th, 2008
Oh man. I’m one of the protesters against the Church of Scientology, and I really don’t understand how people could be blaming Anonymous for this thing. Anyone can be anonymous, you need to take a look at the websites these griefers operate on. The people who run sites like 7chan are against our protests. Scientology is against its members taking medication to stop them from getting seizures, for example, Tory “Magoo” Christman
Jocelyn Dorfmann died from an epileptic seizure in Scientology care in France.
Heribert Pfaff died from an epileptic seizure in a Scientology hotel in Clearwater.
James Stewart committed suicide after CoS put in him in a Condition of Doubt for having epileptic seizures in public.
March 31st, 2008
think of this…
the majority of Anonymous members has epilepsy (i being one) the majority has asperger and autism we do not discredit each other on it but form a group of the weak. it is our weakness’s that bind us so strong.
This is clearly black mail from Scientology for whoever in our group would have done this would no longer be welcome.
I do hope this clears it up we are the weak made strong Anonymous does not pick on the weak but challenge the strong that is what anonymous is. I am one I speak to reveal what scientology has done to those who suffer epilepsy.
March 31st, 2008
This isn’t an isolated event - it isn’t the first time the hooligans at 7chan /b/ instigated an attack on epilepsy forums. They do it periodically. I issued a press release ( http://www.pr.com/press-release/60959 ) after they attacked CWE ( http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/ ) last November. They have attacked the NSE forums ( http://www.epilepsyforum.org.uk/ ) several times over the last couple years.
March 31st, 2008
mAN F*CK YOU Stop fu*cking calling this Sh1t Hacking
h@Ck1ng is not about Attacking shit tH@TS CR@CKERS Hacking is about the ongoing curosity of Computing, and building security, we work for a better understanding of everything, we dunn attack shit Hacking is about the science of computing, and security, its about the reverse engineering, and learning how everything works and functions. N00T ATTACKING THINGS IN THIS SICK MANNER. I Never attacked anything or anyone in my life. S0 sTOP QUOTING ON HACKERS GO Fuck youtself.
i’M Sick of the media treating all of us like were criminals wtf i got into this to protect security, and protect ppl like you, security from attackers.
Most attackers are lame ass script kiddies or crackers. Dunn quote that us hackers do disGusting shit like this. GET Y0UR FACTS STRAIT jack.
not in a million years or a million dollars i would ever think about doing something like that…
if im being a ass its because im greatly offended that your saying, THIS IS HACKING ITS NOT.
The word hacking came from back then … like hacking on a type writer, it means working around the clock on something it doesnt mean attacking SHIT.
HACKING DOESNT=ATTACKING HACKING=KNOWLEGE AND WORK ATTACKING=BEING LAME.
I’m considered a hacker. i do it for protection of other users such as yourself. i do it to protect security, not destroy it.
Malicious Hackers are called crackers get it right.
Your quote on society has always feared hackers ? what kind of $hit is that … were the main key that strenthens security.
iV3 Never commited a cyber crime in my life, just protected dumb as$es like you, from possible attackers. DONT BLAIM ALL OF US BECAUSE SOME LAMERS BEIOCH
so any of you that hate my kind, go f*ck yourself. were not criminals
April 1st, 2008
Bear in mind folks , CoS is Anti epilepsy medication by default.
This article is terribly misguided.
The CoS have stooped far lower than this before in framing their opponents .CoS actually is against Epilepsy medication as a practice .In fact they encourage sufferer of this condition s NOT to take their meds ,and treat themselves with vitamins instead , its called “purification rundown” and is a dangerous process carried out by unliscensed laymen using Dianetics instead of recommended professional help. Thats how Herbert Pfaff died. Google it.
Who has more reason to attack an epilepsy site , a cult who dosn’tagree with epilepsy meds…or a random group of people on the internet , most of who claim to not have a clue as to why they are being blamed.
Perhaps now people will see why these anti Scientology rallies are taking place.
April 1st, 2008
Everyone who claimed to be Anonymous, represent Anonymous, tried to talk like Anonymous, or even attempted to reveal Anonymous “hideouts” is clearly not Anonymous.
Anyone who knows anything about Anonymous knows that nobody knows anything about Anonymous. It is not a “group,” it’s not “activists.” You can’t find it, or stop it, or accuse it, or prevent it; it would be like finding, stopping, accusing, or preventing gravity. It just is.
April 1st, 2008
I saw one of the threads about this on 7chan on the weekend this went on and if I remember right, about half the posts were against doing this. I glanced over the thread and may have (I really don’t remember if I did this or not) have followed the link and looked at the epilepsy site for a few seconds while they were posting on it.
Some time later someone posted a comment saying that the epilepsy site was keeping a log of everyone who had visited the site from the link posted on 7chan.
So, now I’m super paranoid that just from following that link, without actually doing anything; I could get in trouble.
I sent an e-mail to the epilepsy site telling them that I have a close relative that has epilepsy; and that the people who posted the flashing gifs were not representative of all chan users. I still haven’t got a reply back.
Now, one thing I want to make very clear is that the chans ARE taboo breaking, obscene, obnoxious websites; and the majority of chan users ARE perverts, freaks, and weirdos. BUT the trolling, and youtube “hater” comments, that come from chan users come about because the majority of channers don’t take the internet seriously. Whenever someone does something like this though; you break the 4th wall and that’s not good.
One thing that should be noted is that from what I can tell the users on the epilepsy forum are being very, very, mature about this (or they were as of a couple days ago) and were not on a highhorse to go after the abusive posters (who are more than likely teenagers or college students). ITS BLOGGERS AND THE MEDIA who are trying to milk this thing into a human interest story which can cause trouble for ALL internet users. The television media (and the above blogger for that matter) love to fear monger, and if they are to continue writing about this incident in such outraged tones; they could easily compromise the freedoms of the internet.
This type of incident is fuel for the type of scare mongering that will be deployed by those who want the internet to be under the control of corporate interests.
April 2nd, 2008
I have saved local copies of the threads on 7chan where the attacks were instigated. There were a couple (maybe 3 total) people who voiced objections, but the majority were reveling in their griefer antics.
I blame the 7chan admins for allowing this to continue repeatedly and protecting the instigators every time it happens.
May 12th, 2008
HAI GUISE THIS DISCUSSION IS REALLY INTERESTING CAN I JOIN LOL KTHXBAI
August 14th, 2008
LOL U GUIZ JUST GOT PWNED
October 15th, 2008
Today has found a new site with videoclips, I of such video did not look yet, I advise, it is pleasant to you, look.
http://erotmovie.blogspot.com
November 14th, 2008
FUCK YOU HACKERS!! MAY ALL YOU HACKERS DIE!!!!
December 1st, 2008
:( If you know, how to do this. Please post. We need your help. Look at in the yahooo, but can’t find any information about this software. Please help. Bst regards
December 6th, 2008
Someone snickered once and said, “playing video games are out of the question” and you know…I don’t have photosensitive epilepsy….I’ll take epilepsy over stupid any day….the doctor can prescribe medication to control seizures!
On behalf of medications, remember the story of the guy stuck on an island and prayed to god to rescue him. He refused a raft, a ship, and a plane saying, “god will rescue me”. Later, he asked god “where were you? I waited for you to come down and rescue me.” God said, ” I sent you a raft, a boat, and a plane, dummy.”
March 25th, 2009
Chaotic Neutral? What is this, Dungeons and Dragons? Malicious hackers ruin the online experiences of many. I hope the non-malicious ones mentioned somewhere above take them all out.