Operation Anti-Security: LulzSec and Anonymous target banks and governments

Anonylulz

Rogue hacker groups with activist-like motives -- or "hacktivists" -- are uniting for what they consider to be a greater good of exposing the corruptions of government and banking establishments around the globe. Dubbed "Operation Anti-Security," or "AntiSec" for short, the two most infamous hacktivist groups, LulzSec and Anonymous, have joined forces and put out an APB to all hackers -- regardless of hat color -- to join their cause. To quote LulzSec's press release on Operation Anti-Security:

Welcome to Operation Anti-Security (#AntiSec) - we encourage any vessel, large or small, to open fire on any government or agency that crosses their path. We fully endorse the flaunting of the word "AntiSec" on any government website defacement or physical graffiti art. We encourage you to spread the word of AntiSec far and wide, for it will be remembered. To increase efforts, we are now teaming up with the Anonymous collective and all affiliated battleships.

Whether you're sailing with us or against us, whether you hold past grudges or a burning desire to sink our lone ship, we invite you to join the rebellion. Together we can defend ourselves so that our privacy is not overrun by profiteering gluttons. Your hat can be white, gray or black, your skin and race are not important. If you're aware of the corruption, expose it now, in the name of Anti-Security.

As for their primary objective, the press release has this to offer:

Top priority is to steal and leak any classified government information, including email spools and documentation. Prime targets are banks and other high-ranking establishments.

With that, what has existed up to this point as an aimless objective consisting of a series of random, pointless targets, is now coming together as a full-fledged anti-government/anti-establishment movement of potentially epic proportions. Has the digital revolution finally started -- something we've been watching Hollywood play out for years now? Perhaps.

But there aren't just individuals/groups who are hell-bent on exposing corruption via any means necessary running around out there, no. There are a number of people undergoing a digital manhunt to find all parties involved with these groups/movements. One of the veterans of the digital anti-anarchistic movement to find out who LulzSec is, is an individual who goes by the name th3j35t3r (that's, "thejester," for those of you not versed in the ways of 13375p34k). Utilizing his blog and his Twitter feed, th3j35t3r tirelessly whittles away at the potential identities behind LulzSec.

Additionally, blogs like LulzSec Exposed contain information that supposedly ties tangible, personal information to the digital thieves of the Internet sea.

Yes, it's beginning to read straight from the lines of a Hollywood script, except this isn't Hollywood. Many individuals have had their personal information stolen and utilized; many companies have had a great deal of damage control to undergo; many governments have been attacked and are undoubtedly in overdrive to figure out a way to catch these individuals, and that's apparently just the beginning.

At this point, the world can't help but sit and wait to see what comes of this new movement. Will it be enlightenment? Will it be new leaps in security? Will it be new legislation? Will there be examples to the tune of life sentences made of these individuals should they ever get caught? Whatever the case may be, it's certainly an interesting scenario to watch play out at this point... so long as one can remain on the sidelines and not somehow end up in the line of fire.

What are your thoughts on all of this? Do you think LulzSec and Anonymous will succeed in taking WikiLeaks to the next level? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

-Stephen Chapman SEO Whistleblower

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