Written by: Vandita
On December 25, notorious hacker group Lizard Squad took down the PSN and Xbox Live networks spoiling Christmas for many. Despite a warning from Anonymous, it ‘tried’ to hack the Tor Network the very next day.
To clarify, we are no longer attacking PSN or Xbox. We are testing our new Tor 0day.
— R.I.U. Lizard Squad (@LizardMafia) 26. Dezember 2014
Hi, do you guys still give away shirts for relay owners? We need about 3000 @torproject — R.I.U. Lizard Squad (@LizardMafia) 26. Dezember 2014
Nadim Kobeissi, a computer researcher, tweeted a screenshot of what the Tor network looked like after the Lizard Squad signed up the 3000 new Tor relays.
This is what the Tor network looks like right now. pic.twitter.com/0QQAGVTRRI
— Nadim Kobeissi (@kaepora) 26. Dezember 2014
The hackers acquired almost half of 8000 Tor relays to dominate in the numbers game for the ownership of Tor relay.
There’s a total of ~8,000 Tor relays – @LizardMafia now owns almost half of them. Big implications on Tor anonymity. https://t.co/6RhTLqDS2p — Nadim Kobeissi (@kaepora) 26. Dezember 2014
Tor later in a statement confirmed that they were working to remove these relays.
Tor Project statement on today’s attack. Read: http://t.co/xAsRg06AxH
— torproject (@torproject) 26. Dezember 2014
This looks like a regular attempt at a Sybil attack: the attackers have signed up many new relays in hopes of becoming a large fraction of the network. But even though they are running thousands of new relays, their relays currently make up less than 1% of the Tor network by capacity. We are working now to remove these relays from the network before they become a threat, and we don’t expect any anonymity or performance effects based on what we’ve seen so far. Tor keeps a user’s IP address anonymous by bouncing its data packets through a random path of relays. Each relay knows only of the relay that sent it data and the next relay in the random path. A user’s connection remains anonymous as long as the entry and exit relays do not collude. A group that controls almost half the total number of Tor relays could track the traffic over them. Security researcher, Runa Sandvik told Zdnet that since Lizard Squad-controlled relays were operated on Google Cloud services and in the same IP-address range, the hacking couldn’t affect the Tor network. In addition, the hackers only signed up new relays that required numerous verification steps to get fully active and be a part of the Tor relay network. Sensing that the attack was a complete failure, a rattled Lizard Squad then shut down the Tor project’s official website via their favourite DDoS attack.
Meanwhile I’ve been pounding the pedophile safe harbor known as Tor’s website for over an hour. What are you going to do about that?
— R.I.U. Lizard Squad (@LizardMafia) 27. Dezember 2014
Angry privacy lovers around the globe then asked Lizard Squad to end their evil deeds:
Hey @LizardMafia don’t fuck with the Tor network. People need that service because of corrupt governments. Stand the fuck down.
— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) 27. Dezember 2014
Lizard Squad simply replied:
Do something. @YourAnonNews
— R.I.U. Lizard Squad (@LizardMafia) 27. Dezember 2014
Tor users were still not sure whether the hackers had taken down the entire Tor network or it was only the website that was targeted. Anonymous clarified on Twitter:
The Lizards are DDoSing @torproject‘s webpage, not the network because – well, they can’t.
— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) 27. Dezember 2014
Tor’s website was functioning normally after the DDoS attack that lasted only a few hours.
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Sources:
http://www.techworm.net/2014/12/lizard-squad-attacks-tor-network-failed-compromise.html
Sitting here going over the words written by Liquid Squirm…Oh, my bad, I mean, Lizard Squad, how they make a point to use the number 3,000. Starting with the hacks on Christmas then again when they showed their asses trying to hack Tor. Has anyone bothered informing these pests, (being nice) that Anonymous are an innumerable legion? Just thought I’d comment in hopes of bringing a smile or two….Happy Day!!!!
how do we protect our computers then??
turn it off
So basically, the lizard squad wasted alot of time again and did nothing. woo hoo NOT IMPRESSED
ahahahaha i hope lizard squad knows they just attacked the scariest hacker community there is… i mean they can expect a swatting any second now XD
Those twelve-year-olds are still trying? My friends and I, who have minimal expierence (Me, just some BASIC), could do better than them.
>Meanwhile I’ve been pounding the pedophile safe harbor known as Tor’s website…
>pedophile safe harbor
They’re trying to make the world think that they’re doing a good thing. In reality, they’re messing with god-like hackers.
I’m no hacker, but god damn. Common sense says if you want something lucrative to be successful, don’t friggin brag to the world about it. Between the vid taking credit from the bald teenage boy, to this dick wagging contest on twitter about 3,000 relays.
I wonder how much more efficient they would actually be if they kept their damn man pleasers shut?
Ah, Anonymous. We can’t go home again. No surprise really. Only a very few find the way, and most of them don’t recognise it when they do. Lizard Squad’s Threats, promises and good intentions don’t amount to action, in a way…but the website, though damaged, is safe in memory, again.
Lizard Squad has really gone too far they don’t know what anonymous is capable of and thinks that they are the best, perhaps they should look at the history of the sites that Annonymous has taken down.
Is anyone else freaked out by how the relays have the word “NSA” in them
Lol these lizard squad dudes are pretty lame.
Hahaha, funny! Any evidence of the things Lizard Squad claims to be their agenda?
Dosent look like it, any childporn found? I bet you havent even a sincle case agains anyone.
They don’t sound very skilled or informed, they should focus on the child porn sites, not the service that allows free speech on the internet without fear of prosecution. Lizard Squad, fuck off