Just as predicted last week, there came indeed a computer hacking contest over the holiday weekend, as hundreds of predominantly obscure sites – including the independent security site which first predicted the coming hack contest – were vandalized July 6.
The security site, Zone-H.org, was knocked offline for several hours, according to the Associated Press. They tried to verify online vandalism reports, but they were also being used by other hackers as an information resource to tally points for their competition, the AP said.
Adding to the trouble was the probability that the competing hackers outsmarted themselves: continuing attacks, the AP continued, interrupted their ability to tally or even claim break-in credit. The net result, the wire service added, was that it could be another several days before the total damage would be confirmed.
The good news appeared to be that no major flagship Internet sites were hit, including the major search and e-commerce portals, large corporate sites, and government agencies, according to Internet Security Systems. "We at least knew it was coming," ISS’s Peter Allor told the AP. "We took some efforts to harden our sites." The company also distributed warnings to their major clients that the hackers in the contest might even use technology companies’ alert systems as contest tracking tools.
Wired reported the hack contest started quick enough, with an estimated 300 attacks within minutes of its alleged official beginning at 2 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Zone-H founder Roberto Preatoni told reporters they expected up to 30,000 hacked sites Sunday but far less than that actually came in. “The lack of response,” said tech news Website CNET.com, “while apparently due to the trouble that scofflaws had in contacting Zone-H, could also be an indication that the rash of Web site attacks was mainly a flop.”
