Law Firm, Police Hit By Hack Attacks; Lawyer Cell Phone Records Reportedly Accessed
A number of organizations, including at least one law firm, which were targeted late last week in online attacks for which the hacktivist collective known as Anonymous has claimed the blame are still working to get their websites back online.
Meanwhile, confidential information that seemingly was obtained in the hack attacks is getting all too much exposure. Confidential email from the Puckett & Faraj website appears to be posted on YouTube, among other sites. And hundreds of police officers in Texas and perhaps elsewhere reportedly have had their names and home addresses published.
Puckett & Faraj, which defended a U.S. Marine staff sergeant and won him a conviction on reduced charges in what was once a manslaughter case concerning multiple civilian slayings in Haditha, Iraq, is still without a working website. However, it can be reached via Facebook or an old-fashioned phone call at 703-706-9566.
Last week, Anonymous replaced the Virginia law firm’s usual home page with a video of hip-hop artist KRS-One.
And multiple law enforcement organizations likewise are reportedly struggling to get up and running online again.
Those targeted include the Boston police department, whose hacked site featured KRS-One rapping about police brutality, departments in Syracuse, N.Y., and Utah and the Texas Police Association and , according to the Associated Press, the Boston Globe and WFAA.
For law enforcement officers, having their home addresses published is a security risk. And at least in Utah, those who complained to police about claimed crime have also received unwelcome publicity.
Information that has been published about the Puckett firm includes nine months of cell phone records for one former partner who defended a teenage Guantanamo Bay detainee accused of attempted murder for allegedly throwing a grenade at U.S. troops, reports Gawker.
However, partner Neal Puckett says the hack attack could have been much worse, as detailed in another ABAJournal.com post.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Anonymous Hackers Say They Stole Email from Haditha Sgt.‘s Defense Team for ‘People’s Trial’”
Washington Post: “Commerce agency’s system infected by virus, may be victim of cyber attack”
