In an attack that seems motivated more by malice than by money, the Epilepsy Foundation's Web site has been bombarded with hundreds of pictures and links using rapidly flashing images, reports an Associated Press story on MSNBC. Such lights and motion can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy.

Apparently the hackers did not try to commandeer the site or take control of users' PCs.



The story says hackers apparently exploited a security hole in the publishing software that allowed them to quickly overwhelm the site's support forums with images that explode into pulsating kaleidoscopic images. As a result, users no longer will be allowed to post animation on the site, it will be monitored around the clock, and the FBI is investigating the breach.