Just when I think I’m going to get some sleep tonight I get word that Anonymous is telling people to close their PayPal accounts – seems like an attack against PayPal is imminent.
As of now, there aren’t too many details as to what may be in store for PayPal but what does seem to be clear is that the latest Anonymous op is in direct response to the FBI’s July 19th raids that landed 14 alleged members of Anonymous charged under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
Below is a warning from one of Anonymous’s twitter accounts:
We’ll be keeping our eye on this as it develops.
Update: Anonymous recently released a statement on Pastebin; at the moment it appears that #opPayPal is a boycott organized by Anonymous and LolSec as part of their much larger AntiSec campaign. Below is the release in full.
Dear PayPal, its customers, and our friends around the globe,
This is an official communiqué from Anonymous and Lulz Security in the name of AntiSec.
In recent weeks, we’ve found ourselves outraged at the FBI’s willingness to arrest and threaten those who are involved in ethical, modern cyber operations. Law enforcement continues to push its ridiculous rules upon us – Anonymous “suspects” may face a fine of up to 500,000 USD with the addition of 15 years’ jailtime, all for taking part in a historical activist movement. Many of the already-apprehended Anons are being charged with taking part in DDoS attacks against corrupt and greedy organizations, such as PayPal.
What the FBI needs to learn is that there is a vast difference between adding one’s voice to a chorus and digital sit-in with Low Orbit Ion Cannon, and controlling a large botnet of infected computers. And yet both of these are punishable with exactly the same fine and sentence.
In addition to this horrific law enforcement incompetence, PayPal continues to withhold funds from WikiLeaks, a beacon of truth in these dark times. By simply standing up for ourselves and uniting the people, PayPal still sees it fit to wash its hands of any blame, and instead encourages and assists law enforcement to hunt down participants in the AntiSec movement.
Quite simply, we, the people, are disgusted with these injustices. We will not sit down and let ourselves be trampled upon by any corporation or government. We are not scared of you, and that is something for you to be scared of. We are not the terrorists here: you are.
We encourage anyone using PayPal to immediately close their accounts and consider an alternative. The first step to being truly free is not putting one’s trust into a company that freezes accounts when it feels like, or when it is pressured by the U.S. government. PayPal’s willingness to fold to legislation should be proof enough that they don’t deserve the customers they get. They do not deserve your business, and they do not deserve your respect.
Join us in our latest operation against PayPal – tweet pictures of your account closure, tell us on IRC, spread the word. Anonymous has become a powerful channel of information, and unlike the governments of the world, we are here to fight for you. Always.
Signed, your allies,
Lulz Security (unvanned)
Anonymous (unknown)
AntiSec (untouchable)
Additional reporting by Tawnie Knight
Don’t barely use my paypal anymore. Thanks, just removed my credit cards and bank accounts
So… It’s just a boycott, then? I don’t need to worry about my password being compromised?
For right now, “officially” it’s a boycott but there continue to be rumors that they’re planning some kind of attack. To be on the safe side, I’d unlink my banking account just to be sure.
So, Anonymous is admitting that the arrests made since the Sony escapade are of ACTUAL Anonymous members? I thought they denied all along that any of their members were netted in the arrests – now they’re stating some of their members face up to 15 years in jail.
And if they think the FBI came down on them hard for messing with Sony, wait until they see what happens if they mess with interstate banking and commerce on a mass scale by hacking PayPal. 15 years will seem like a gift.
That said, I hope like hell PP has their security together.