Even though it is usually celebrated on the other side of the ocean, the protests of
Guy Fawkes Day (November 5, 2012) has far-reaching implications. The troubled spirit of the very late
Guy ("Guido") Fawkes and the failed
Gunpowder Plot is still reaching us
some 407 years after.
Google News and
BBC News have reported that the hacktivist team
Anonymous has taken down some very notable websites. These include/d the
NBC website (which is back up now),
PAYPAL and
Lady Gaga's website. Others were included in the hacktivist
protest.
If you do have a
PayPal account you might still be concerned - some "28,000" PayPal passwords were posted online. We checked ours to be safe and you may want to check yours.
Time's newsfeed also reported that the Anonymous organization announced plans to
hack Facebook and Zynga this day. Facebook seems to be "normal" - for now - and we have not checked into Zynga. The computer/security firm
Symantec is reportedly looking into the hacks. We'll be keeping an eye on
Threatpost to see if they report any hacktivism.
Please note that the shadowy Anonymous team
does not act at random. Their protests are calculated and meant to shed light on matters that should be of concern to all citizens. It is rare that this columnist takes the viewpoint of a supposedly "radical organization" but the group is genuinely inspired to protest potential threats to civil rights. One of the targeted perceived threats of the movement is something known as
Trapwire.
The Anonymous Message has posted a video today called "
Anonymous: November 5th - Defend Your Freedom [Worldwide Protests]".
It is also notable that the
Wikipedia featured article of the day is on
Thomas Percy - one of the group associated with The Gunpowder Plot of 1605. The conspiracy is still remembered to this day with
Bonfire Night in the UK. Actually, some of our "tweeps" have been posting about it since this weekend - the bonfires still burn as do the online protests. The original plot was developed when the English country was in open revolt.
Guy Fawkes (who was caught guarding dozens of barrels of gunpowder) and the gang planned to blow up the Parliament's upper house. That historic day is still commemorated this date in the hacking of websites like PayPal and others by Anonymous.
"...some "28,000" PayPal passwords were posted online. We checked ours to be safe and you may want to check yours..."
Does anyone have a link to that list, so that we check?