In a statement released to Venture Beat, Anonymous has said it wasn’t responsible for the recent attack on the PSN. The hacker group has previously stated that they would resist attacking services which impacted on consumers after a previous DDoS attack led to the network going down briefly and a widespread public backlash from annoyed gamers.
While we are a distributed and decentralized group. Our ‘leadership’ does not condone credit card theft. We are concerned with the erosion of privacy and fair use, the spread of corporate feudalism, the abuse of power and the justifications of executives and leaders who believe themselves immune personally and financially for the actions they undertake in the name of corporations and public office
So it seems that Anonymous would paint themselves as campaigners against corrupt capitalism and champions for civil liberties. That’s an image which is hardly congruent with stealing personal data and credit card information. They also stated that “If a legitimate and honest investigation into credit card theft is conducted, Anonymous will not be found liable” which seems to imply that they feel Sony’s recent statements to the House of Representatives might have unfairly pointed the finger at them.
It would seem highly unlikely that the core Anonymous group is responsible for the PSN-crippling attack and yet, a group which is “distributed and decentralized” will always have peripheral figures claiming affiliation and acting outside of the group’s stated aims. Those are the sort of risks you take when you form a group without any core leadership and allow your name to be used by all.
It’s likely that the file, named “Anonymous”, which Sony have stated that they found on their servers is an act of misdirection, subterfuge or tribute. Whether that stands up is a matter for history to decide but what is clear is that as much as anonymity can help Anonymous’ cause, it may prove difficult for them to deny involvement simply by virtue of the fact that anyone can claim membership.
Source: VentureBeat
Jacko
“In the eyes of the law, the case is closed, for Anonymous it is just beginning… prepare for the biggest attack you have ever witnessed, Anonymous style,”.
Anyone remember the video where they said that? Seems a bit coincidental, doesn’t it?
lokiy2j
I just want the PSN back online, I mean none of my friends know how many trophies I’ve earned over the two bank holiday weekends!
BrainDiver
TSA has the wittiest subtitles on the internet. Fact.
Dange
agreed, always very witty, keep em coming TSA :D
Kev
Anonynous can’t really defend themselves against this. I can only compare it to the 80’s when the hunt saboteurs association and the animal liberation front experienced exactly the same problems. The core of any dispersed ‘figurehead’ organisation can be well meaning and ethically sound but when dick heads can take direct action and cause mayhem – as happened with ALF and perhaps also with Anon – it is impossible to avoid the inevitable shit storm.
yogh_wayne
If they like it or not, Anonymous played a role in the data theft. Their constant DDoS attacks kept Sony’s network team busy and provided cover for the PSN hack. Maybe some guys from Anonymous knew about the hacking attempt, or maybe their stupidity was just used by a real hacker. Now some of their “leaders” are scared to lose even more support from the people they claim to be fighting for and issued a PR statement, but that doesn’t change the fact that they facilitated the data theft. Stupid morons.
gazzagb
It’s almost certainly not anonymous, if it was them, they would be blowing their own trumpets so loud, everyone would know. It’s most likely either a break-off group, or a lone hacker.
skibadee
these guys had a hand in this what ever way you paint it.
The Lone Steven
I wonder if there has been any infighting in Anon? It could have been a rebelious Anon member who wanted to frame them.Anon would have boasted about this by now. I wonder if they kept attacking the servers with DDOS attacks in an attempt to punish sony,they could have contributed to the theft of personal details whether they inteneded to or not.
psychobudgie
If it was Anon or anything to do with Anon the last thing they would be doing is admitting to it. When it quickly became clear that the FBI and various other law enforcement agencies had become involved and that there were a few million or so pissed off users, they came out with the ‘it wasn’t us’ defence. It’s amazing how the possibility of Jail time in the US makes someone plead ignorance over something they are clearly involved with.
skibadee
totally agree they would never admit to this.
tinytim01
Anonymous or not i say getting psn back online and running is themain thing,sony just tryin to cover there back or pass the blame so the ps3 owners will think Anonymous are right s*$%heads and sony are great,at the moment my ps3 is not working that well heating troubles so i dont go online but still if i wanted to i can, at least give us some idea and not say it will be back this week when it looks like it wont,,,
Dange
I want my PS3 back online :( feels like a lonely experience not knowing what my mates are playing.