LulzSec ends 50 days hacking streak, says goodbye
The LulzSec “boat” has sailed into the sunset after 50 days of “disrupting and exposing corporations, governments, often the general population itself, and quite possibly everything in between”.
The parting statement has been posted on Pastebin on Sunday and was accompanied by a last dump of files containing evidence of hacks of a US Navy website, internal AT&T and AOL documents, user logins and details for a number of online forums, games and a NATO online bookshop, and more.
“Again, behind the mask, behind the insanity and mayhem, we truly believe in the AntiSec movement,” they wrote, encouraging the public to continue their work. “We believe in it so strongly that we brought it back, much to the dismay of those looking for more anarchic lulz. We hope, wish, even beg, that the movement manifests itself into a revolution that can continue on without us.”
According to the statement, LulzSec consisted of six members. But what is the ultimate reason they (supposedly) stopped? Another paragraph of the release can be construed as a clue:
“While we are responsible for everything that The Lulz Boat is, we are not tied to this identity permanently. Behind this jolly visage of rainbows and top hats, we are people. People with a preference for music, a preference for food; we have varying taste in clothes and television, we are just like you. Even Hitler and Osama Bin Laden had these unique variations and style, and isn’t that interesting to know? The mediocre painter turned supervillain liked cats more than we did.”
I find it likely that they decided to “retire” because of the increasing attention they were getting from the authorities and from rival hackers bent on exposing them. Various online publications speculate on the reason and most, as myself, bet on this one.
There is also the possibility that they won’t stop with the hacking and DDoSing – perhaps they will only stop talking about it and making it public. But, for now it seems that the AntiSec torch has been entrusted to Anonymous and other “affiliated vessels”.