Pro-WikiLeaks Hackers' Latest Target: PayPal Goes Down

Dec 9, 2010 - 14:51
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Pro-WikiLeaks Hackers' Latest Target: PayPal Goes Down

The pro-WikiLeaks hacker group Anonymous has launched a cyber-attack that successfully disabled PayPal's API, taking down the website api.paypal.com.

Anonymous launched a campaign, Operation Payback, targeting \"major anti-piracy & anti-freedom entities.\" MasterCard, Visa, Amazon, Joe Lieberman, and Sarah Palin are among those who have been victim to cyberattacks launched by the activist hacker group.

\"Target is: api.paypal.com _Status: seems to be down :) Instructions: http://pastehtml.com/view/1c8i33u.html #ddos #payback #wikileaks,\" Anonymous' Operation Payback Twitter account, @Op_Payback, tweeted at around 1PM ET.

Disabling PayPal's API can interfere with partner sites' ability to process PayPal transactions.

PayPal cut off WikiLeaks' money flow and blocked the account the organization had been using to collect donations, a move the company admitted was precipitated by action taken by the U.S. State Department.

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Mike Gallagher Mike Gallagher is a Georgia-based freelance journalist covering local news, community developments, and regional issues that matter most to residents across the state. Writing for Georgianewsday.com since 2016, Mike has built a reputation for clear, balanced reporting and a strong connection to the communities he serves. His work spans city council decisions, school board updates, small business features, public safety reports, and statewide policy changes. In addition to local coverage, Mike occasionally reports on state politics and national headlines, offering readers context on how broader decisions impact Georgia communities. Known for his steady, fact-driven approach, Mike prioritizes accuracy, fairness, and accessibility in every story. Whether covering a town hall meeting or breaking political developments, he aims to inform readers with clarity and integrity. Outside the newsroom, Mike remains actively engaged in Georgia’s civic landscape, always seeking the next story that shapes the state’s future.