Several European and American websites were hacked over the weekend by a group claiming to be affiliated with ISIS. However, FBI security analysts suspected the group had no ties with the Islamic terrorist group and is dismissed as a hoax.
The alleged ISIS hackers attacked websites by defacing its homepage, slapping on a picture of a black ISIS flag. Inscribed in the flag were the words "Hacked by ISIS, we are everywhere." This online vandalism terrorized West Hollywood furniture store owner Olga Rechdouni when she discovered the alarming message on her website, Duroque.com. "I'm scared. I'm really, really scared, because I don't know what to think. I don't understand why this happened to us, a small business in West Hollywood," she said in ABC7 news. A non-existent Facebook address and a Flash audio plugin playing an Arabic song were also included.
"All of a sudden, our website was taken over by a hacker that took over a header stating that the website was now under the control of the Islamic State," Roger Slack, general manager of Eldora Speedway said to NBC station WLWT of Cincinnati. "I thought it was a joke. You don't really think about ISIS attacking you here," said Phil Laboon, CEO of Eyeflow. Webpages such as The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre in Ireland, Goodwill center in St. Louis, Third Street Brewhouse in Minnesota were among the sites attacked by the group.
Investigations found no account information was stolen, compromised, or tampered with. "I don't think ISIS agents would be interested in a hack like this, I think this is more likely a domestic hacker rather than international cyberterrorism." Silver Bow County Sheriff Ed Lester Told NBC station KTVM of Butte. In several similar previous cases, local investigations found that purported affiliations with ISIS are just means for small time hackers to get more attention.
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