In what could be the first case of causing actual bodily harm via the internet, hackers have attacked the website of US charity Epilepsy Foundation by posting flashing images on to its forum pages.
Upon learning of the attack the Epilepsy Foundation closed the forum down, purged the offending images from the site and ramped up security. However, the attack did cause some adverse reactions from users.
"We are seeing people affected," Ken Lowenberg, a senior director at Epilepsy Foundation told Wired magazine. "It's fortunately only a handful. It's possible that people are just not reporting yet – people affected by it may not be coming back to the forum so fast."
'Anonymous' to blame?
It’s reported that the hackers initially used script to post hundreds of messages embedded with flashing GIF images. The attackers then switched to using JavaScript to redirect forum users to a page with a more complex image, designed to trigger seizures in both photosensitive and pattern-sensitive epileptics.
Wired also reports that there is “circumstantial evidence” linking the perpetrators of the attack to the loose-knit anti-Scientology collective, Anonymous. Earlier in the year Anonymous members were reported to be planning a mass attack on Scientology websites, although TechRadar denied this at the time.
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davidk
March 31st 2008
2. Yeah, I'm one of the protesters against the Church of Scientology, and I really don't understand how people could be blaming us for these horrible attacks. Anyone can be anonymous on-line, people need to take a look at the websites these griefers operate on. The people who run sites like 7chan are against our protests. Scientology is against its members taking medication to stop them from getting seizures, for example, Tory "Magoo" Christman - http://www.entheta.net/archive/personal_story/tory/affidavit.html
Jocelyn Dorfmann died from an epileptic seizure in Scientology care in France - http://www.whyaretheydead.net/others/Jocelyne_Dorfmann_34.html
Heribert Pfaff died from an epileptic seizure in a Scientology hotel in Clearwater - http://www.whyaretheydead.net/room758.html
James Stewart committed suicide after CoS put in him in a Condition of Doubt for having epileptic seizures in public - http://www.holysmoke.org/cos/kult-epelep.htm
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bernard
March 31st 2008
1. This isn't an isolated event - it isn't the first time the hooligans at 7chan instigated an attack on epilepsy forums. They do it periodically. I issued a press release ( http://www.pr.com/press-release/60959 ) after they attacked CWE ( http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/ ) last November. They have attacked the NSE forums ( http://www.epilepsyforum.org.uk/ ) several times over the last couple years.
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