Hackers try to cause seizures on epilepsy site

[2112]

updated 7:48 p.m. ET, Wed., May. 7, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO - Computer attacks typically don't inflict physical pain on their victims.

But in a rare example of an attack apparently motivated by malice rather than money, hackers recently bombarded the Epilepsy Foundation's Web site with hundreds of pictures and links to pages with rapidly flashing images.

The breach triggered severe migraines and near-seizure reactions in some site visitors who viewed the images. People with photosensitive epilepsy can get seizures when they're exposed to flickering images, a response also caused by some video games and cartoons.

The attack happened when hackers exploited a security hole in the foundation's publishing software that allowed them to quickly make numerous posts and overwhelm the site's support forums.

Within the hackers' posts were small flashing pictures and links — masquerading as helpful — to pages that exploded with kaleidoscopic images pulsating with different colors.

"They were out to create seizures," said Ken Lowenberg, senior director of Web and print publishing for the foundation.

He said legitimate users are no longer able to post animated images to the support forum or create direct links to other sites, and it is now moderated around the clock. He said the FBI is investigating the breach.

Security experts said the attack highlights the dangers of Web sites giving visitors great freedom to post content to different parts of the site.

In another recent attack, hackers exploited a simple coding vulnerability in Sen. Barack Obama's Web site to redirect users visiting the community blogs section to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's official campaign site.

The hackers who infiltrated the Epilepsy Foundation's site didn't appear to care about profit. The harmful pages didn't appear to try to push down code that would allow the hacker to gain control of the victims' computers, for instance.

"I count this in the same category of teenagers who think it's funny to put a cat in a bag and throw it over a clothesline — they don't realize how cruel it is," said Paul Ferguson, a security researcher at antivirus software maker Trend Micro Inc. "It was an opportunity waiting to happen for some mean-spirited kid."

In a similar attack this year, a piece of malicious code was released that disabled software that reads text aloud from a computer screen for blind and visually impaired people. That attack appeared to have been designed to cripple the computers of people using illegal copies of the software, researchers said.

link

Sorry if repost.

[Adept Havelock]

http://chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=184476

[2112]

Originally Posted by Adept Havelock

http://chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=184476

[sedated]

WE'VE LANDED ON THE MOON!

[Braincase]

Some hackers need to have their nuts hooked.

[FAX]

Indeed, Mr. Braincase. Especially those ones who hacked into the World Federation of the Deaf server and downloaded a worm that made farting sounds.

FAX

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Originally Posted by FAX

Indeed, Mr. Braincase. Especially those ones who hacked into the World Federation of the Deaf server and downloaded a worm that made farting sounds.

FAX

Everybody knows that a farting worm is more repugnant than any farting creature on God's green earth.

[CoMoChief]

As mean and cruel that is.

The idea is actually really funny.

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

As mean and cruel that is.

The idea is actually really funny.

I understand that watching someone slip and fall is funny. An embarassing social moment, most non threatening accidents, etc. all funny.

I don't understand how anyone could think that someone seizing into a grand maul is funny. It's downright ****ing sad. It's like making fun of reeruned kids.

[FAX]

The epileptic thing is definitely non-funny. I think having a deaf guy's computer make loud farting sounds is pretty much okay, though. Most deaf guys have really good senses of humor. It's like blind people who compensate by developing a superior sense of touch.

FAX

[Reaper16]

What a bunch of punks. They probably didn't even know that they were only going to trigger a seizure in the small percentage of epileptics that are photosensitve. My little brother has epilepsy, but not of the photosensitve kind. His seizures aren't triggered by anything specific (that we know of; perhaps something may be revealed when he goes to Mayo Clinic in a few weeks).

[Adept Havelock]

If you find inducing epileptic seizures funny...this succinctly describes my comedic feelings towards you.

Originally Posted by Mel Brooks

Tragedy is when I cut my finger, comedy is when you fall down an open manhole and die.

[FAX]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

What a bunch of punks. They probably didn't even know that they were only going to trigger a seizure in the small percentage of epileptics that are photosensitve. My little brother has epilepsy, but not of the photosensitve kind. His seizures aren't triggered by anything specific (that we know of; perhaps something may be revealed when he goes to Mayo Clinic in a few weeks).

You know, the more I think about this, the more I wonder if epileptics should be using computers, anyhow. I mean, there are lots of flashy things on web pages ... ads and stuff that are designed specifically to fascinate and garner attention. It seems as though it might actually be dangerous for an epileptic to surf the web thing.

FAX

[Rain Man]

I heard that a group of epileptics tried to cause seizures on a hacker site in retaliation, but unfortunately none of them could get the flashing things loaded.

[FAX]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I heard that a group of epileptics tried to cause seizures on a hacker site in retaliation, but unfortunately none of them could get the flashing things loaded.

I'm not surprised. It's very difficult to coordinate a group of epileptics into any sort of organized activity.

FAX