Escouts

[Cambridgeskip]

Some of you know that I am a british scout leader who surfaces on here from time to time. Most of the time though I lurk on escouts.org.uk the Uk equivalent of this site You may see me here a bit more for a while. The reason being that earlier this week escouts got hacked by malicious hackers and it has been taken down while the damage is being repaired. So I'm going to have a rant. What was the point? Why? What did the hackers get out of this? I understand hacking government or military sites and such like because, if you are so minded, you may find out something I interesting. I understand hacking commercial sites because you can thieve money off people. I understand hacking and damaging political sites if you are militantly opposed to what they stand for. But to hack a website used by scout leaders to exchange ideas? Why would you do that? What the hell is the point of inflicting mindless damage to a website maintained by a group of volunteers who work tirelessly to operate a well moderated highly functional forum that makes some professional sites look like amateurs? I'm simply lost for ideas. Hopefully it will be up and running again soon (it's well worth a snoop by the way) in the mean time please forgive a Brit hanging around and probably asking dumb questions.

[qwazse]

Maybe some misguided Hacker Scouts ...

[moosetracker]

It is "just because".. It is the same a graffiti, or throwing a rock at a streetlight.. Mindless destruction, just because it will irritate somebody, and it can be done.

 

By the way, we will enjoy the extra company.. Pull up a rock and sit a spell.

[perdidochas]

I've noticed that some hackers go after non-profit type sites, because the non-profits often don't have the best security. I don't understand the whole vandalism thing--be it physical or online.

[King Ding Dong]

I admit it...it was me....still mad about 1812.

[walk in the woods]

Why climb a mountain? Because it's there. Same mentality, somewhat less lofty goals. Universities and non-profits are often very soft targets. Was it malicious as in "changed the content" of the site or malicious as in just crashed the site? The latter may have been a random autonomous worm that happened to find a hole in the site's defenses.

 

Some of these folks think they are performing a public service. How better to point out flaws than to crash sites and force folks to take more advanced security measures. The softer targets also make for really nice targets for folks putting together botnets.

[koolaidman]

Sorry about your "go to" site Cambridge. You're welcome here anytime.

[Cambridgeskip]

Thanks chaps! Sounds like its not just our side of the pond that people act like idiots. Although I guess hackers could be from anywhere on the planet.

[berliner]

Ey mate, at least ya found your way here :-D

 

Sadly its probably not vandalism or a hacker trying to just test his skills or what not:

a lot of people use the same names and passwords on different sites, so if a "softer site" is hacked then it could be possible

to access accounts on other sites by users having same names/passwords.

 

Anyway. Hope you guys back up soon. And until then you can pull up your virtual camping chair to this fire circle ;-)

[DigitalScout]

Nowadays most of the hacking is done by automated bot. Websites will be hacked so a criminal gang can sell nefarious goods (i.e., pharmaceuticals), run scams, or to host malware for phishing scams. Regardless of it's purpose, all websites need to follow proper security protocols, constantly install the CMS system updates, delete unused user accounts, enforce a complex password policy for system admin and users, implement password retry lockout, etc. Good luck!