[size=14pt]Hackers Defend WikiLeaks by Attacking PayPal and PostFinance [UPDATE: Mastercard, Too][/size]

A group of hackers connected to the online imageboard 4chan, often referred to as Anonymous, have retaliated against several sites that denied service to WikiLeaks shortly after the site started releasing secret embassy cables.

The site of Swiss bank PostFinance, which has closed the account of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, has been taken down and is still unavailable at the time of this writing. Hackers have also attacked PayPal but have only managed to take down the site’s blog, while the service remained operational.

A spokesman for the group behind the attacks on PayPal and PostFinance said they will target any website that’s “bowing down to government pressure.” The same group is allegedly behind the series of attacks collectively called “Operation: Payback,” which targeted anti-piracy organizations such as RIAA and MPAA.

Among other companies that have denied service to WikiLeaks are DNS service provider EveryDNS.net and Amazon. Most of these sites claim they haven’t shut down WikiLeaks’ account due to political pressure, instead naming technical or procedural reasons for denying the service to the WikiLeaks.

Update: Mastercard, which has also denied service to WikiLeaks, has had its site taken down by hackers, too.

http://mashable.com/2010/12/08/hackers-wikileaks-paypal-postfinance/

Now when the "brightest of minds" go against the "powers that be", in an area where the "powers that be" depend on the "brightest of minds", lol looks like we are heading for a draw or the "powers that be" succumb and seek a truce.

This is sooooo interesting and makes my day everytime I read something like this. I guess I'm a rebel
Wish we could rebel like this in Nigeria and teach the "powers that be" lessons.

This has turned to cyber warfare. It seems millitary and its gadgets will soon become something of the past. Its getting interesting.
As at press time Mastercard can't process. Whoz next?.

presido1:

This has turned to cyber warfare. It seems millitary and its gadgets will soon become something of the past. Its getting interesting.
As at press time Mastercard can't process. Whoz next?.

Ohh yes Chief. The word war would no longer sound gory and dreadful as it is, but interesting and finally the game it was meant to be. Imagine war as a computer game where 6 year olds could join in. LOL.

presido1:

This has turned to cyber warfare. It seems millitary and its gadgets  will soon become something of the past. Its getting interesting.
As at press time Mastercard can't process. Whoz next?.

Something of the past? Not going to happen. It'll be great if it does though.
It's now battle of brains and wits, 

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The corporate websites of Visa and MasterCard were inaccessible at times Wednesday due to an apparent cyberattack by purported Wikileaks backers.

Messages posted on Twitter indicated the attacks maybe be in response to recent moves by Visa and Mastercard against WikiLeaks, the website that recently released thousands of secret U.S. State Department documents.

"The issue appears to be the result of a concentrated effort to flood our corporate website with traffic and slow access," said MasterCard spokesman James Issokson, in a prepared statement. "We are working to restore normal service levels."

ssokson said the hack attack did not affect the use of credit cards or financial security. Representatives from VISA were not immediately available for comment.

But Adam Levin, consumer credit and privacy expert for Credit.com, said that it's cause for alarm for credit card holders, who should "religiously monitor their accounts daily for signs of fraudulent activity."

"In reality, no accounts are completely safe from economic terrorism," said Levin. "The sophistication level of hackers grows geometrically by the day."

Visa Europe, a division of Visa, also stopped accepting payments for WikiLeaks.

"Visa Europe has taken action to temporarily suspend Visa payment acceptance on WikiLeaks' website pending investigation into whether it contravenes Visa operating rules, including compliance with local laws in the markets where we operate," said Visa, in a prepared statement.

Supporters of WikiLeaks claimed to have launched the cyberattack in retaliation for MasterCard's (MA, Fortune 500) refusal to accept credit cards on the WikiLeaks site.

Issokson wouldn't comment on allegations of who was behind the attack. But on Tuesday, MasterCard said it was "working to suspend the acceptance of MasterCard cards on WikiLeaks."

On Twitter, a post from a handle called @Anon_Operation took responsibility for the attacks, tweeting about its so-called Operation Payback: "We are glad to tell you that [Mastercard.com] is down and it's confirmed. Operation: Payback (is a bitch!)"

Just before the apparent attack on Visa, the same alias posted: "TARGET: WWW.VISA.COM :: FIRE FIRE FIRE!!! WEAPONS."

There was no immediate confirmation that whoever was behind the handle was responsible for the attack.

The website for PayPal was also the subject of an "attempted DDoS [denial-of-service] attack" in recent days, though the site remained operational, according to PayPal spokeswoman Charlotte Hill.

"These attacks have at times slowed the website itself down, but have not significantly impacted payments," she said.

Hill confirmed that this happened after PayPal denied service to WikiLeaks.

PostFinance, a Swiss bank, also had problems with its website on Tuesday, when it announced that the site was "overloaded owing to a multitude of online enquiries."

This happened the day after PostFinance announced that it closed the account of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for having "provided false information regarding his place of residence when opening the account."

The PostFinance website was back up Wednesday.

Credit.com reported, on its blog, that credit card companies and financial firms were making it difficult for supporters to funnel cash to WikiLeaks.

"With such major players cutting off its access to funds, the financial pressure on WikiLeaks appears to be mounting," wrote Credit.com on its blog. "The site can accept donations through DataCell, a Swiss credit card company, and through bank transfers to accounts in Germany and Iceland, though the decision by Visa and MasterCard to block transfers may make it difficult for those channels to remain open."

DataCell reported Wednesday that MasterCard and Visa payments were being rejected in its "donation system" through the WikiLeaks website. DataCell said it was taking "immediate legal actions to make donations possible again."

"The suspension of payments towards WikiLeaks is a violation of the agreements with their customers," said DataCell, in its news release. "This does clearly create massive financial losses to WikiLeaks which seems to be the only purpose of this suspension."

Its only the US site, european version is still working.

Hackactivist at work. Whoz next?

would be nice to open my account and see 0000000 credited and 0 debits

yeah, hopefully my cc is 'owing nothing' hackers should make all cc holders debts paid off