More than 77 law enforcement computers were hacked from outside of the United States on Saturday. A hacking group targeted by the FBI is posting the confidential information online. The group intends to do a “rolling release” of information in the days and weeks to come.
The hacking comes on the heels of the arrest of 14 people suspected to be members of the hacking group "Anonymous."
Hackers “AntiSec” and “Anonymous” announced via Twitter tonight that they absconded with up to 10 Giga Bytes of confidential information, including protected witnesses. They have posted more than 7,000 law enforcement officials’ private information online including: their social security numbers; email accounts and passwords; phone numbers and home addresses on pastebin
The victims of the hacking were unaware of the breach on Saturday night, according to a law enforcement official in Mo., where some of the victims work. Their information was not secure and their emails were open to anybody who knew where to find the information posted by "Anonymous."
The group is threatening to release additional information at PasteBin in retaliation for FBI arrests of 14 alleged computer hackers in the U.S. and Europe, who are suspected to be members of their group.
Supervisory Special Agent Jason Pack of the FBI press office in Washington declined all comment on the breach. The FBI will be releasing an official statement later.
“Anonymous” is also calling for the release of those arrested and a halt to their prosecutions.
The information due to be posted allegedly includes the identity of “snitches,” according to "Anonymous" and additional information about prisoners and witnesses will be posted. They claim to have redacted the information about prisoners due to sympathy regarding their incarceration.
Websites that were allegedly defaced by the hacking group were "mirrored" at sites hosted by "Anonymous" so people could view them after they were taken off line by their owners. A mirror site is a snap shot in time of a website. The mirror sites are listed by "Anonymous" on their Twitter accounts.
In their Twitter news account, “AnonymousIRC” the group posted the following notice to the FBI.
“Dear @FBIPressOffice, do you know what happens if these people are convicted? This is no threat as we don't know either. But *we* expect us.”