Anonymous (Photo : Reuters)
The hacker collective known as Anonymous recently staged a massive virtual attack targeting various Islamic State controlled web forums, Twitter accounts and several other social media accounts.
Anonymous claim that the cyber-attack called "Operation ISIS" was a huge success and has taken down important jihadi forums like the AlPlatformMedia.com. Recent report confirms that the site is still offline.
The attack struck a heavy blow on the ISIS propaganda which relies most of its recruitment process on social media and various internet websites.
Several Anonymous accounts have been spotted using the hashtag #OpISIS on Twitter. The accounts posted several email addresses and hundreds of social media accounts along with personal details of people who were known to have direct connection with the terrorist group.
The Anonymous cyber-attack was in response to the brutal attack staged by ISIS militants that killed several employees of the Charlie Hebdo newspaper in France. Additionally, one of the hacked ISIS website showed a front page message containing the hashtag #CharlieHebdo.
Anonymous also claimed that they have posted a video on various video-sharing websites and contains the message, "We are Muslims, Christians, Jews. We are hackers, crackers, Hacktivist, phishers, agents, spies, or just the guy from next door."
Another video posted on YouTube likened ISIS to a virus and Anonymous is "the cure." The video also contained the message, "We own the Internet."
Since the attack commenced, the hacker collective has managed to hack more than 1,500 Twitter and Facebook accounts. Most of the accounts have already been suspended.
ISIS militants retaliated to the cyber-attack by posting tweets using hastags #SupportTheSupportersAccountAfterTheRemoval and #TheSupportsInSpiteOfTheirArrogance, according to Vocative.
