Anonymous Protests ACTA with Planned Regular Attacks

Hacking group Anonymous is taking more severe measures to protest ACTA. Last week, the group hacked into several Federal Trade Commission websites, including business.ftc.gov, consumer.gov and ncpw.gov. It also announced plans to attack government and corporate websites on a regular, weekly basis. Wired reported that the group vows to hack into sites every Friday. In an online chat with the publication, an Anonymous representative wrote, "Each and every Friday we will be launching attacks… with the specific purpose of wiping as many corrupt corporate and government systems off our internet." In their most recent attack on the FTC, the hackers replaced content on the sites with profanity and a violent German-language video satirizing ACTA. They also revealed their plans to continue their hacks in protest of the treaty:

Guess what? We’re back for round two. With the doomsday clock ticking down on Internet freedom, Antisec has leapt into action. Again. Holy deja vu hack Batman! Expect us yet?

Just today, Anonymous celebrated the news that the EU has suspended the ratification of ACTA, passing the proposal over to the European Court of Justice to examine whether the bill violates any rights. The Anonymous Twitter feed posted news of the suspension along with the message, "THIS IS WHAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER!!! CONGRATZ!!"

The announcement is just one more piece of evidence of Anonymous' growing power on the Internet. Just last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that the US government believes the hacktivist group could be capable of taking down parts of the American power grid. General Keith Alexander, director of the National Security Agency, said in private meetings at the White House that the group could damage national computer networks within the next two years. In retaliation, the WSJ's Facebook page was flooded yesterday by a mob of Anonymous commenters who accused the news organization of "deliberate dissemination of false information." They said, "[We] express our displeasure with your lobby journalism. We are Anonymous. We are millions. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us!”