A group of internet hackers known as “Anonymous” launched an attack on the websites of Visa, Mastercard, and Paypal to express their support to Wikileaks.
Operation Payback, a group that targets anti-piracy groups and is also affiliated with “Anonymous,” launched “Operation Avenge Assange” to hit back for Julian Assange (founder of Wikileaks website) and to hit the corporate websites of the credit card companies Visa and Mastercard, and online payment service Paypal with distributed denial of service (DDoS) which temporarily knocks websites offline.
The coordinated cyber attack was announced on their Twitter feed @Anon_Operation. The group tweeted:
“TARGET: WWW.VISA.COM :: FIRE FIRE FIRE!!! WEAPONS.”
The @Anon_Operation twitter feed is now suspended and the “Operation Payback” Facebook page also went offline.
Anonymous was also responsible for hitting down the Swiss bank PostFinance and others with (DDoS) attacks.
After the United States diplomatic cables leak, the US government is allegedly pressuring the companies that accepts donations for Wikileaks, which relies mainly on donations to survive.
