BART website hacked, customer info leaked [ Hacker Group 'Anonymous' ]

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | Sunday, August 14, 2011 | Casey Newton

[SunkenCiv]

The amorphous hacker group known as Anonymous made good Sunday on its threat to strike BART, breaching an agency website and releasing customers' personal information in retaliation for BART's decision to cut cellular phone service to prevent an antipolice protest in San Francisco.

The hack attack sent BART scrambling to protect its websites, and it infuriated some riders whose information was leaked. It came as the hackers also called for a 5 p.m. protest today at BART's Civic Center Station, where a police officer fatally shot a knife-wielding man on July 3.

BART, which ignited a debate about technology and free expression when it shut down cell phone service last Thursday, has not ruled out blocking it again tonight, agency spokesman Jim Allison said...

Anonymous, which surfaced in 2003, stepped up its activity in 2008...

Marsha-Ann Sebay, a Vallejo woman whose personal information was released, said she was furious with the hackers.

"To be honest with you, I'd like to kick their ass," said Sebay, 61, who works in the UC Davis registrar's office. "If you have a problem with someone, you resolve it with that person. You don't punish other people because you don't agree with something.

[SunkenCiv]

Screenshot by the Chronicle / mybart.org

[SunkenCiv]

• Hacker group threatens cyberwar against BART [August 13, 2011]

[ShadowAce]

[IYAS9YAS]

The "V is for Vendetta" reference is interesting. Recently, at one intersection on my commute in the Albuquerque metro area, I've seen an "Uncle V Wants You" poster. Similar in design to the old "Uncle Sam Wants You", but with the V mask.

No other information on the sign.

While I disagree with BART's shutting down of cell phones, and I agree with folks calling them on it, to expose customer information (the very customers who were hit by this cell shut-off), is certainly counter-productive, and may even bring more negative attention to the hackers, than the shut-down did to BART.

[liberalh8ter]

Way to go......punish BART by opening up its riders to identity fraud. I hope when these idiots are caught, the punishment is extreme.

[oh8eleven]

While I disagree with BART's shutting down of cell phones ...
Why? If shutting down the service saved just one life, and stopped rampant destruction of private property, then I'm all for it.
BTW, they didn't shut down individual cell phones. They shut off the "wi-fi" service.

[dfwgator]

While I disagree with BART's shutting down of cell phones ... Why? If shutting down the service saved just one life, and stopped rampant destruction of private property, then I'm all for it.

Sounds like what BART was doing was basically closing the barn door after the horses escaped. So how does this help?

[IYAS9YAS]

From the article: "BART, which ignited a debate about technology and free expression when it shut down cell phone service last Thursday"

Nowhere does the article mention wi-fi.

To deny everyone the use of cell phones simply because a minority are using them to commit crimes is a no go in a free society. Gun-grabbers use the same logic.

[oh8eleven]

So how does this help?
I don't know for a fact that it did. But, was anyone injured; was there any destruction?
Maybe next time when BART caves in and doesn't shut down service, they'll be a different .... much different ... result.

[dfwgator]

The Road to Hell begins with, “If I saves just one life...”

[dfwgator]

s/b “If it saves just one life...”

[oh8eleven]

To deny everyone the use of cell phones simply because a minority are using them to commit crimes is a no go in a free society.
Liberal logic if I ever heard it.
BART property is not a "free society" and safety comes first.

[Publius6961]

Cyberhacking should be covered by the RICO statutes.
Why isn't the FBI on this crime?

Serious jail time is the obvious first step.

[Publius6961]

Thank you for posting that link.

Lots of good replies on that thread.

[Publius6961]

While I disagree with BART's shutting down of cell phones, and I agree with

I couldn't disagree more strongly with that statement.

Check the link at #2 to see arguments about the "right" to cell service everywhere.

[Uri’el-2012]

Is BART using Microsoft ???

[Publius6961]

Previous thread on this case of domestic CyberTerrorism :

Domestic CyberTerrorists in SF

[SunkenCiv]

Look who’s President, that should answer your question. The BART cyberterrorism was in response to a blocking of mobile phones on BART, to prevent coordinated rioting over the recent shooting death by cops of someone.

[SunkenCiv]

My pleasure.

[IYAS9YAS]

Liberal logic if I ever heard it.

No, the liberal logic is your gun-grabber-like thinking that taking away something from the law-abiding will prevent the law-breakers from being law-breakers.