A hacktivist group comprising thirteen people (11 men, 2 women) have pleaded guilty to charges accusing them of being involved in December 2010 PayPal cyber attack, for Paypal’s refusal to process payments for WikiLeaks. The hacktivists claimed full responsibility of the attack after ebay’s unit suspended WikiLeaks account for having released several classified documents. US Attorney Melinda Haag in San Francisco said in a statement- “Citing violations of the PayPal terms of service, and in response to WikiLeaks’ release of the classified cables, PayPal suspended WikiLeaks’ accounts such that WikiLeaks could no longer receive donations via PayPal. WikiLeaks’ website declared that PayPal’s action ‘tried to economically strangle WikiLeaks.”
While ten people from the group pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of damaging a secured computer and one felony, which they shall be permitted to change to misdemeanor if they stick to the terms of their plea agreement and not violate the same. The three remaining defendants pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges.
eBay’s unit PayPal offers a service wherein it facilitates electronic money transfer between two parties.
A hacktivist group comprising thirteen people (11 men, 2 women) have pleaded guilty to charges accusing them of being involved in December 2010 PayPal cyber attack, for Paypal’s refusal to process payments for WikiLeaks. The hacktivists claimed full responsibility of the attack after ebay’s unit suspended WikiLeaks account for having released several classified documents. US Attorney Melinda Haag in San Francisco said in a statement- “Citing violations of the PayPal terms of service, and in response to WikiLeaks’ release of the classified cables, PayPal suspended WikiLeaks’ accounts such that WikiLeaks could no longer receive donations via PayPal. WikiLeaks’ website declared that PayPal’s action ‘tried to economically strangle WikiLeaks.”
While ten people from the group pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of damaging a secured computer and one felony, which they shall be permitted to change to misdemeanor if they stick to the terms of their plea agreement and not violate the same. The three remaining defendants pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges.
eBay’s unit PayPal offers a service wherein it facilitates electronic money transfer between two parties.