Hacking group LulzSec took down the Sun and the Times websites last night in response to the recent hacking scandal that News International has become embroiled in. LulzSec redirected the Sun homepage to a mock story that claimed Rupert Murdoch had been found dead of a drugs overdose.
It seems that the collective had been studying the News International sites for some time and found several weaknesses in the company’s online security. LulzSec also obtained several email addresses belonging to reporters from the Sun. Including one address that supposedly belongs to Rebekah Brooks which the group tweeted.
The LulzSec hack was reportedly the first ever successful attack on the News International site. Technicians from the news firm took down pages from both sites in response to the hack. However, LulzSec then redirected the news sites’ homepages to their Twitter feed.
So far News International has been relatively quiet on the matter only releasing a statement saying that they are aware of the situation. Previously there were rumours that hacktivists Anonymous would hack the site but nothing ever came to fruition.
Commenting on the nature of the attack the BBC‘s tech reporter Iain MacKenzie said: “Clearly this is not the most significant development in the scandal currently engulfing News International. But the turning of the hacking tables is, at least, curiously ironic sideshow.”
Previously LulzSec announced that it had disbanded following a series of high profile hacks including Sony, Nintendo and the CIA. However, the group has returned following the News International hacking revelations.
