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ISLAMABAD: A network of hackers claiming to be a part of Anonymous — the global hacktivist network — continued a campaign of hacking, DDOS attacks and defacing websites belonging to the Pakistan government, security forces and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Wednesday.
The group, going under the names ASOR Hack Team or Anonymous Op Pakistan, hacked into multiple websites and leaked private data of government employees and security forces, raising serious security and privacy concerns.
An unofficial PML-N website http://www.pmln.us was hacked and defaced with political messages related to the handling of the Model Town tragedy. The website was restored.
The Faisalabad Police Department website http://www.faisalabadpolice.gov.pk was hacked and private data leaked online, including usernames, passwords and the names/CNICs/addresses/contact information of employees.
The T20 section of Pakistan Television's sport website sports.ptv.com.pk/t20 was defaced with 'Go Nawaz Go' messages, only to be restored hours later. Another message on the page read: "The desks that are being thumped on the face of the Pakistani people are a testimony that this gang can only get together to rescue its politics...the poor will continue to die in hunger and load-shedding."
Usernames, passwords and email addresses, allegedly from hacks into the Pakistan Army and other government websites, were leaked onto the internet. The link to the data dumps are currently blocked in Pakistan, but screengrabs circulating online show private data including names, contact information and worryingly, designations of a sensitive nature including arms manufacturers. Messages included with the leaked data said the attacks were taking place because the Pakistan Army was carrying out an operation in North Waziristan.
Two days ago, the group of hackers temporarily brought down numerous government portals in a bid to "remove every vestige of the Pakistan government from the Internet".
The group also leaked a zip file containing 23,000 bank records allegedly connected to the government. The zip file contained a document that stated the leak was carried out by ASOR Hack Team.
It appears the group is affiliated with the global Anonymous network, given the updates carried out on various official Twitter accounts.
