The Anonymous hacking network declared war on the Islamic State in a Youtube video Monday, sparking a combative response from the jihadist group's affiliates, a security expert said.
The "hacktivist" collective vowed vengeance for attacks in Paris on Friday, claimed by IS, that left 129 dead and hundreds injured, some of them critically.
"Anonymous everywhere in the world is going to hunt you down," a hooded figure in black, wearing the group's signature Guy Fawkes mask said in French.
It was not possible to verify its authenticity, but the statement and video had the hallmarks of the network, known for mounting cyberattacks against government and corporate websites.
"Our country, France, was hit in Paris on November 13 around 2200 (2100 GMT) by multiple terrorist attacks claimed by you, the Islamic State," the figure said in a gravelly, computer-altered voice.
"We are going to launch the biggest operation every mounted against you -- get ready for a multitude of cyberattacks. War has been declared."
- Counterproductive -
The video, posted the day after the attacks, had more than 1.3 million views by Monday afternoon.
In an apparent riposte, a message posted on the Twitter address of the messaging service Telegram calls on Islamic State affiliates to secure their Internet communications.
"The #Anonymous hackers threatened... that they will carry out a major hack operation on the Islamic state (idiots)," the message said.
"So U should follow the instructions below to avoid being hacked," it continued, advising followers to avoid opening unknown links and to frequently change computers and phones.
Charlie Winter, a researcher in transnational jihadism at UK-based think tank Quilliam, affirmed the message's authenticity in a tweet.
"@GroupAnon, IS didn't like your declaration of war," he wrote, referring to one of Anonymous' Twitter addresses.
"Here's what they're saying on @telegram. Use it against them."
French cybersecurity expert Olivier Laurelli warned the Anonymous action against the jihadist organisation could interfere with police efforts to identify and track its members.
"It's counterproductive," he told AFP. Actions that force Islamic State operatives "to close accounts just renders police investigators blind and dead for certain things."
It is helpful, for example, to know that certain accounts are based in France, Syria or Iraq, he said.
Being able to identify connections and communications between individuals is also critical. But if Anonymous forces accounts to shut down, investigators are left with dead ends.
Besdies, the impact is only temporary, he added. "An account closed here, is just another one opened over there," he said.
The nearly three-minute Anonymous clip opens with thundering orchestral music, displaying the Anonymous logo of a suited figure with a question mark for a head.
The speaker, seated like a news presenter, is flanked by the logo on one side and black-and-white news footage of the aftermath of the attacks, on the other.
France led a minute's silence observed around the world on Monday in memory of the victims of the worst-ever terror attacks on French soil.
President Francois Hollande and his cabinet, all dressed in black, bowed their heads at the Sorbonne University in Paris, surrounded by scores of students.
The attacks -- at six locations in and near Paris -- came less than 11 months after jihadists struck satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket, killing 17.
AFP
Tue Nov 17 2015
The "hacktivist" collective vowed vengeance for attacks in Paris on Friday, claimed by IS, that left 129 dead and hundreds injured, some of them critically. - Filepic
AWANI Ringkas: Pendatang asing tanpa izin | Kekecohan di Wisma Transit
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Tumpuan Ahad – 06 Oktober 2024
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan di Astro AWANI.
Polis siasat dakwaan buli di sekolah berasrama penuh di KL
Polis sedang menjalankan siasatan berhubung dakwaan berlaku kejadian buli membabitkan anak seorang penyanyi dan beberapa individu lain di sebuah sekolah berasrama penuh di ibu negara.
Peruntukan tebatan banjir Sungai Damansara diluluskan, kurangkan risiko di Sungai Buloh
Peruntukan berjumlah RM481 juta bagi Projek Tebatan Banjir Sungai Damansara telah diluluskan sebagai usaha mengurangkan risiko banjir di kawasan Parlimen Sungai Buloh.
AWANI 7:45 [05/10/2024] – Tunggu perkenan Majlis Raja-Raja | Inflasi dan gaji jadi tumpuan | Kes terpencil | Zionis terus angkuh
- Tiga negeri fatwakan GISB sesat, siasatan libat 10 peruntukan
- Belanjawan 2025 tumpu isu inflasi dan naik gaji
- Kekecohan libat warga Palestin mungkin sebab stress, ATM tangani dengan profesional
- Gaza hancur lebur, Beirut hampiri kemusnahan
- Belanjawan 2025 tumpu isu inflasi dan naik gaji
- Kekecohan libat warga Palestin mungkin sebab stress, ATM tangani dengan profesional
- Gaza hancur lebur, Beirut hampiri kemusnahan
Pekebun boleh kemuka tuntutan akibat serangan haiwan liar
Pekebun yang mengalami kerugian hasil tanaman akibat ancaman haiwan liar boleh mengemukakan tuntutan pampasan terhadap kerosakan yang berlaku.
AWANI Ringkas: GISB Holdings | Kes tembakan di Song | PR1MA
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Lelaki rugi RM224,000 terperdaya skim pelaburan tidak wujud
Seorang lelaki warga tempatan berputih mata apabila kerugian RM224,000 setelah terperdaya dengan skim pelaburan tidak wujud yang diiklankan menerusi aplikasi WhastApp.
#AWANIRingkas 5 Oktober 2024 | 9 PM
Berikut merupakan rangkuman berita setakat 9 malam, 5 Oktober 2024
1️⃣ Siasatan membabitkan 10 peruntukan undang-undang
2️⃣ KDN sahkan seorang anggota polis terlibat
3️⃣ Projek sakit dijangka siap menjelang hujung 2024
#awaniringkas
1️⃣ Siasatan membabitkan 10 peruntukan undang-undang
2️⃣ KDN sahkan seorang anggota polis terlibat
3️⃣ Projek sakit dijangka siap menjelang hujung 2024
#awaniringkas
Serangan gajah: Perhilitan terus pantau Kampung Basung
Perhilitan Terengganu akan meneruskan pemantauan di Kampung Basung di Kuala Berang bagi mengesan gajah liar yang menyebabkan kematian warga emas hari ini.