22/10/2024
Internet hacktivism is an important tool in the arsenal of many progressive movements. Ethical hacking and direct action against hate sites has been periodically carried out by groups of techno-anarchists since the early days of the internet, and is arguably even more important today when the internet can spread disinformation and questionable politics at the speed of light. LGBTQIA Newswire Them.com takes up the story of the latest direct hacktion taken against a right wing extremist group. James Factora writes "The hacktivist collective SiegedSec, previously responsible for leaking the info of a bunch of people who subscribed to a far-right media outlet, breaching the computer systems of various anti-trans state governments, and infiltrating a nuclear lab to demand catgirl research, has done it again. This time, as part of what the group calls #OpTransRights, they have targeted the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank, obtaining and leaking the passwords, email addresses, and full names of the site’s users, according to cybersecurity outlet SC Media. The group posted to its Telegram channel on Tuesday to announce the hack, which they say was the culmination of seven days of hacks of various entities, “from NATO to Israel.” SiegedSec called the Heritage Foundation “among the most influential public policy organizations,” and cited the organization’s key role in creating Project 2025, a proposed blueprint for a conservative takeover of the U.S. government in the event that Republican nominee Donald Trump wins reelection this November. .... The Heritage Foundation has a long history of pushing for anti-LGBTQ+ policy, from opposing same-sex marriage to spreading anti-trans disinformation to backing voter suppression efforts. Among many other nightmare scenarios, the Project 2025 proposal includes calling for the Food and Drug Administration to reverse the approval of the abortion pill mifepristone and create a “pro-life task force to ensure that all of the department’s divisions seek to use their authority to promote the life and health of women and their unborn children.” Project 2025 also calls for the outlawing of “pornography,” which has become widespread conservative shorthand for anything “concerning sexuality and gender that they say is harmful to children,” as Melissa Gira Grant recently wrote for The New Republic. ... n a comment provided to Them over Signal, SiegedSec representative vio said that the organization targeted Heritage Foundation for two main reasons. “it shines light on people who support an organization built on hatred, the freedom of the everyday person is threatened as long as Heritage continues leading Project 2025,” they said. They also added that SiegedSec’s attack has “encouraged more people to step up and fight.” “we have received countless messages from other hackers, activists, and even organizations who wish to support the fight against Heritage,” vio said. “with this overwhelming support to stop Project 2025, i believe its actually possible to stop them before more rights are threatened.” They added that it was particularly important for SiegedSec to target the Heritage Foundation “to show everyone what we stand for.” “we want to support LGBTQ+ people and other minority groups however we can, and we can demonstrate that by targeting the people who hate them most,” they said.
