Amazon is targeted by the cyber anarchists - and is Whitehall next?

Yesterday, having already crashed MasterCard payment systems around the world, they also attacked Amazon because it had removed WikiLeaks information from its computer servers.

The electronic attack failed, but the group behind the hacking – which calls itself Anonymous – said it would continue to target computer systems around the world.Whitehall computer security analysts are increasingly concerned that the UK will be next and are now on permanent alert.

If successful, an attack on Amazon, the UK’s biggest online retailer, could have cost it millions in the run-up to Christmas.
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A self-appointed spokesman for Operation Payback – the banner used by hackers supporting the WikiLeaks campaign – vowed Amazon was in its sights.

Giving his name as ‘Cold Blood’, the 22-year-old software engineer told the BBC: ‘In recent months and years we’ve seen governments and the EU trying to creep in and limit the freedom of the internet.

‘Our main targets are Amazon, MasterCard and PayPal (the online payment service).
‘We feel that they have bowed to government pressure.’

Other members of Anonymous later posted messages dissociating the group from Cold Blood. Visa’s corporate website was ­suffering ‘intermittent’ disruption yesterday following a temporary shutdown on Wednesday night. A spokesman said customers were not affected.

MasterCard’s website was disrupted for around six hours on Wednesday, with thousands of customers unable to make payments.

Dutch prosecutors said last night they have arrested a 16-year-old boy suspected of involvement in the WikiLeaks cyber attacks on websites ‘including MasterCard and PayPal, among others’.

The youth’s name was not released and it was not clear how important a role he is suspected of playing in the attacks.

Yesterday WikiLeaks continued to leak controversial diplomatic cables online even though Mr Assange, 39, is in custody facing deportation over claims that he sexually assaulted two women in Sweden.