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Topic: Security

Extortion failed - Anonymous posts Symantec source code

Summary: Anonymous activists have released source code for Symantec's PCAnywhere onto the Pirate Bay file-sharing website after an extortion attempt apparently failed.

Tom Espiner

By |

Anonymous activists have released source code for PCAnywhere onto the Pirate Bay file-sharing website on Tuesday and the BitTorrent link was included in a post to the AnonymousIRC Twitter account, which has been used to publicize the activist group's claims in the past.

"Symantec can confirm that the source code is legitimate," the company said. "Be advised, we also anticipate Anonymous to post the rest of the code they have claimed have in their possession. So far, they have posted code for the 2006 version of Norton Internet Security and PCAnywhere. We also anticipate that at some point, they will post the code for Norton Antivirus Corporate Edition and Norton Systemworks."

In negotiations between a purported Symantec employee called 'Sam Thomas' and a hacker called 'YamaTough', who claimed to be a member of the Lords of Dhamaraja activist group, which is associated with Anonymous, YamaTough appeared to be blackmailing Symantec for cash to destroy stolen source code, and the Symantec appeared to offer Yamatough $50,000 to do it.

For more on this story, read Anonymous activists release PCAnywhere source code on ZDNet UK.

Topic: Security

About

Tom is a technology reporter for ZDNet.com. He covers the security beat, writing about everything from hacking and cybercrime to threats and mitigation. He also focuses on open source and emerging technologies, all the while trying to cut through greenwash.

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106 comments
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  • And now Anonymous shows their true colors

    as nothing more than criminals.
    spdragoo@...
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Extortion failed - Anonymous posts Symantec source code

      @spdragoo@...
      While I do not support Anonymous or its methods, I think equating a few bad apples with the entire group, guilt by association, is tarring the group with a very wide brush.
      mheartwood
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Extortion failed - Anonymous posts Symantec source code

        @mheartwood dimwits like you are what is wrong with the country currently. Guilty is guilty - and if the group tries to do something against the law, then the group is the guilty party. Against the law would include all the other crap that Anonymous continues to pull, not to mention of course this bribery attempt. Call a spade a spade - guilty is guilty. Period.
        dagodevas
        Reply Vote

      • You have got to be kidding! Forget the brush, and just 'tar' the whole gang

        @mheartwood
        bnoel207@...
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Extortion failed - Anonymous posts Symantec source code

        @dagodevas

        This must explain why US prisons are overflowing. Apparently, you're guilty if you're affiliated with someone who MAY be affiliated with someone who is ACCUSED of a crime.
        tkejlboom
        Reply 1 Vote

      • RE: Extortion failed - Anonymous posts Symantec source code

        @mheartwood I haven't heard annonymous come out with a statement condeming the act. So it sounds like they support the action.
        sail4evr
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Extortion failed - Anonymous posts Symantec source code

        @mheartwood when you talk about a systematic project for damaging individuals it is called racketeering and is against the law. some of the MOB may be good fellows but the MOB is a bad bunch of guys. yes they were against Prohibition but that was to serve their own purposes.
        fierogt
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Extortion failed - Anonymous posts Symantec source code

        @mheartwood exactly. This is nothing more than some rogue using Anonymous as a cover. LulzSec and AnonOps don't blackmail anything or anyone. Shoddy reporting, this.
        bobjones2007
        Reply Vote

      • Let's hacking people's accounts, and stealing IP to extort companies

        @mheartwood... for cash, isn't a bad thing? This group should be labeled as cyber terrorists and should have Seal Team 6 kickin in their door where ever the little cowards are hiding.
        Snooki_smoosh_smoosh
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Extortion failed - Anonymous posts Symantec source code

      @spdragoo@...
      While I do not support Anonymous or its methods, I think equating a few bad apples with the entire group, guilt by association, is tarring the group with a very wide brush.
      mheartwood
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Extortion failed - Anonymous posts Symantec source code

        @dagodevas: So using your logic, each and every Republican is guilty of War Crimes because a few of their members decided it was a great idea to go out and invade a country? Its that kind of logic that has condemed minorities and political dissenters for hundreds of years. Nice to see we've not evolved much.
        Relorian@...
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Extortion failed - Anonymous posts Symantec source code

        @mheartwood Never heard of guilt by association? Be careful who's company you keep.
        paulfx1
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Extortion failed - Anonymous posts Symantec source code

        @Snooki_smoosh_smoosh We really do need a Like button for comments like this!! Just priceless..
        +10000000
        Thanks...
        T-Wrench
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Extortion failed - Anonymous posts Symantec source code

      @spdragoo@...

      Is false, for a real hacker, $50k is spare change, mainly considering that the hacker can be caught and get in jail for some years doing it.

      In this case, is CLEAR that Symantec is trying to provocate Anonymous calling it cheap stealer and money lovers.
      magallanes
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Extortion failed - Anonymous posts Symantec source code

        @magallanes and you think that they are not criminals because the price is too low? What sort of nonsense is that? A criminal is a criminal, it doesn't matter what sort of glorified spin you want to place on their status as a
        'hacker'.
        balsover
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Extortion failed - Anonymous posts Symantec source code

        @magallanes

        "Anonymous activists have released source code for PCAnywhere onto the Pirate Bay file-sharing website on Tuesday and the BitTorrent link was included in a post to the AnonymousIRC Twitter account"

        And from ZDNet UK's site:

        "The code was posted on the Pirate Bay file-sharing website on Tuesday at around 5:40am, and the BitTorrent link was included in a post to the AnonymousIRC Twitter account, which has been used to publicise the activist group's claims in the past."

        Have they been convicted in a court of law? No, not yet. Have they publicly & freely confessed to posting the code? Yes, and about as clearly as saying, 'The Sun rises in the east.'

        Unless you have some proof that they had the [b]legal right[/b] to post Symantec's source code...
        spdragoo@...
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Extortion failed - Anonymous posts Symantec source code

        @magallanes "$50k is spare chainge". You've been watching too many hollywood hacker films.
        jsargent
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Extortion failed - Anonymous posts Symantec source code

        @magallanes Maybe if they are the Russian Mafia this is spare change.
        jsargent
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Extortion failed - Anonymous posts Symantec source code

        @magallanes When one lives in one's mother's basement, clearly $50k is a big deal. These gutless people are criminals. Nothing else. If they think they can change things, then come out and help solve the problems of the world...not create more. They are useless and should be treated as such.
        Stosh59
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Extortion failed - Anonymous posts Symantec source code

      @spdragoo@... Like you or anyone else that has commented know whether any of the claims are true. Ever consider this is a ploy by the US government and/or Symantec to try and make it look to the public as though Anonymous are a bunch of petty thieves?? Last time I checked....courts make these decisions....not journalists or you.
      ColdFusion_z
      Reply Vote
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