Cyber Attack Strikes FreedomWorks

The Wall Street Journal ^ | 10-21-10 | Peter Wallsten

[GOP_Lady]

A mysterious cyber attack apparently struck the computer servers at the pro-tea party group FreedomWorks this morning, just as it launched a major fund-raising drive.

FreedomWorks officials are investigating, but they suspect they were attacked deliberately, perhaps by a political opponent seeking the thwart its fund-raising efforts.

The attack crippled the site at about 9:45 a.m. just when the fund-raising drive was publicized on the radio by conservative talk show host Glenn Beck. The group estimates it lost about $80,000 in potential donations as it struggled to bring its site back online.

An “autopsy” showed a highly sophisticated hacker struck at 6:55 a.m., the group said, setting the stage for the eventual meltdown. The server was wiped out, though group officials said no data was lost or stolen.

“We think the idea was to take our site down until after the election,” said Kara Pally, web developer for FreedomWorks. “This was politically motivated.”

The fund-raising “money bomb” set a goal of $200,000 to be raised before the Nov. 2 elections. Group officials say their web site could be a target for tea party opponents. FreedomWorks, headed by former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, has become a clearinghouse for the diffuse tea party movement.

[GOP_Lady]

[GOP_Lady]

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[Marty62]

Let me guess.

[BigEdLB]

FreedomWorks officials are investigating, but they suspect they were attacked deliberately, perhaps by a political opponent seeking the thwart its fund-raising efforts.

I have my suspicions. A talented hacked had to have been hired by someone.

[Red Badger]

IIRC, this is against the LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA..............and pretty much any other country with electricity.............

[FlingWingFlyer]

Conservative Americans need to learn how to hack and conduct these “cyberattacks” against OUR enemies.

[Red Badger]

It should be fairly easy to backtrack the attacker.............

DNC?.........
RNC?........
WH?...........

[ColdOne]

perhaps by a political opponent seeking the thwart its fund-raising efforts Do ya think?

[JimRed]

Conservative Americans need to learn how to hack and conduct these “cyberattacks” against OUR enemies.

Wouldn't that make us as criminal as THEY are?

[Marty62]

Try the cabal of Media Matters+ Soros.

That would be my guess.

Rmember: Andy Stern- “[W]e prefer to use the power of persuasion, but if that doesn’t work we use the persuasion of power.”

[doggieboy]

or other communist or socialist groups.

[A CA Guy]

They know who it was, that is why they knew the exact moment of attack.
The keep records in more than one place evidently.

Good for them.
IMO payback will be coming IMO.

[ladyvet]

I'm praying that FR doesn't go down on election day/night.

[darth]

I got hit last night by something that Kaspersky cannot scrub.

Coinkydink?

[upchuck]

I got hit last night by something that Kaspersky cannot scrub.

Kaspersky is a great product. Try free Malwarebytes to disinfect your computer. Download it, install it, update it, run it.

[darth]

Thanks for the tip.

I went to the Kaspersky website, signed up for a 30 day Free Trial of Kaspersky 2011, downloaded it, updated, and ran a scan. I got around the virus which was preventing me from updating my Black List on Kaspersky.

Presto, clean machine. Good old Kaspersky even recognized that I had a paid up valid certificate and did not charge me.