The hacker group Anonymous activists launched a second warning against the drug cartels that restrict freedom of expression, this time specifically against “Los Zetas.”
Through an internet video posted on the first days of October, the group claims that one of its members in Veracruz was kidnapped by this criminal group during a protest in the streets called “Operation Paperstorm” and demanded his release.
Also threatened to disclose information about individuals in collusion with the cartel, among those who say they are police officers, taxi drivers and politicians.
About the truth of this warning by Anonymous and its possible effects, the safety consultant Stratfor notes that while the majority of cartel activities occur in the streets, it is common that organized crime uses the network for communications and to perform some business transactions, making them vulnerable to hackers.
“Any cartel activity that occurs online can be a potential vulnerability if the individuals involved in the new threat from Anonymous are able to identify, although the threat of n not necessarily mean that hackers are now attacking the cartels, given the history of activities to its name, it is possible that the threat is true, “says the analysis.
Characterized by its objectives set between government and security offices, as well as mass media, just over a month the group referred for the first time organized crime in Mexico.
Following the murders of people who reported on the activities of drug traffickers through blogs, Anonymous posted the following message on his official Twitter account @ AnonymousIRC:
“Hola Mexican Drug Cartels. NuevoLaredo We do not forget # # Anonymous”. In the tweet League also contained a note giving an account of the attack against the official website of the government of Veracruz.
U.S. firm to the new warning the group can not be taken so lightly.
“If Anonymous carries out its threat that probably derive in the death of the individuals named as members of the cartels, regardless of whether the information disclosed is accurate or not. Moreover, as the cartels have targeted journalists and bloggers web in the past , hackers could also become targets of organized crime as a form of retaliation. “
Anonymous in the past has met with threats of this nature, as in the case of publications of data from 500 thousand users of child pornography site Lolita City; of Social Security numbers of a thousand elements of the Boston Police and theAssociation of Chiefs of Police.
Stratfor says that the loss of lives would be an inevitable consequence if the hacker group made public a list of character names and addresses of alleged collusion with the cartel “Los Zetas.”
“This could represent a major risk to the individuals mentioned in Anonymous intending to publish it,” says the report.
The prognosis does not look any consultant serene landscape. Rather warns that the violent nature of the drug cartels would seek some kind of retaliation but these were not directly.
“Anonymous activists can threaten to disclose information about cartels or launch cyber attacks aimed at their interests. But even if the cartels can not track individuals behind these practices, they continue to commit violent acts aimed at intimidating the online community engages in such activities. “