Hackers put flashing images on epilepsy site

**still composed** · 05-08-2008 02:30 PM

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24510864/

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."

I just don't understand how or why people would want to be so mean. I mean...what were they trying to prove or accomplish by this? That they are the world's biggest assholes?

**ClouD** · 05-08-2008 02:47 PM

Why do people laugh at shock humour? There lies the answer.

**Sisyphus50** · 05-08-2008 03:00 PM

Must be a slow news day, this happened months ago and they are only just reporting it now.

Originally Posted by ClouD

Why do people laugh at shock humour? There lies the answer.

That's actually a question, not an answer

And it's because we're sadists that enjoy a little Schadenfreude every once in a while. All part of being human, good with the bad.

I do however think there is a big difference between a person that laughs at this news story and a person that perpetrated the act. I can laugh heartily at this while simultaneously feeling bad for the people involved, and a certain amount of pity for the person who inflicted it on them. We are complex creatures.

**still composed** · 05-08-2008 03:02 PM

I see your point but I still will never understand how people can think that inflicting pain on others is humor. Especially attacking their disabilities...It just kind of makes me sick...but this could lead to a huge debate that no one would really win, I think.

**Universal Mind** · 05-09-2008 08:14 AM

I hope they find the scum and put them in prison. I love great practical jokes, and I am a major fan of dark humor, but I despise actual victimization of the innocent in real life on such a sick level. They might as well have played ghost hoaxes in the houses of paranoid schizophrenics or dropped off Alzheimer's patients in the middle of the woods. Ha ha.

**still composed** · 05-09-2008 12:57 PM

omg... ^ that is horrible!

...but I agree..sick sick people.

**Marvo** · 05-09-2008 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by still composed

I just don't understand how or why people would want to be so mean. I mean...what were they trying to prove or accomplish by this? That they are the world's biggest assholes?

It's called lulz, laughing at other people's expense.

Oh and, I definitely got some lulz out of this. I guess that's what makes me a /b/tard.

CT · 05-09-2008 01:52 PM

fuck yea /b/tards, i lol'd HARD

**Ynot** · 05-09-2008 01:57 PM

you would think if you had epilepsy, that you'd have some form of damper on your web viewing - adblock, flashblock, noscript, etc. etc.

it's not like flashing images are uncommon
hell, a lot of the adverts on sites have some form of attention seeking thing going on (flashing colours, fast moving animation)

look at UM's avatar

but anyway...

**still composed** · 05-09-2008 02:03 PM

maybe that's why they hacked into the site.

**Ynot** · 05-09-2008 02:05 PM

hacking the site wouldn't do squat for client-side precautions

**Marvo** · 05-09-2008 02:09 PM

So, you're saying it was stuff like this they put up on that website

**still composed** · 05-09-2008 02:10 PM

Oh...then uhh...well...I don't know then...Hah

**still composed** · 05-09-2008 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by Marvo

So, you're saying it was stuff like this they put up on that website

I'm at work on a government computer...so they have almost every site blocked here..so I definitely can't see that link

**Marvo** · 05-09-2008 02:12 PM

Learn to proxy.

**still composed** · 05-09-2008 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by Marvo

Learn to proxy.

tried..still doesn't work.

**Marvo** · 05-09-2008 02:18 PM

Learn to proxy correctly.

**Ynot** · 05-09-2008 02:30 PM

or, learn by proxy

can't view something?
email it to a friend

if they come back with "Aaahh, what the fuck is wrong with you!!"
then you know not to look at it
but an "ooh, cool, thanks for that" means you can safely view it at home

**still composed** · 05-09-2008 02:34 PM

these computers are on lock down..trust me..I've tried porxy a million different ways and it doesn't work..plus they monitor a lot...so i'd rather just wait til I get home..but thanks.

**Marvo** · 05-09-2008 02:47 PM

Ah, well if it's in the software, proxies won't fix it.

**Sisyphus50** · 05-09-2008 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by still composed

I'm at work on a government computer...so they have almost every site blocked here..so I definitely can't see that link

Imagine a rainbow throwing up, then put 1990 NES Teenage mutant ninja turtles music over the top of it.

**still composed** · 05-09-2008 07:15 PM

wow.

**Universal Mind** · 05-09-2008 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by Ynot

look at UM's avatar

but anyway...

That's the kind of flashing they're talking about? My avatar is a seizure hazard?

**still composed** · 05-09-2008 07:50 PM

i would assume so...I didn't actually see the site or any pictures...just the news article..

**Universal Mind** · 05-09-2008 08:02 PM

Originally Posted by still composed

i would assume so...I didn't actually see the site or any pictures...just the news article..

Now I am really skeptical. For that matter, the beginning of a movie on a projector screen is a seizure hazard, and so are strobe lights and police/ambulance/fire truck sirens. There is a limit to how much the world can bend over. I thought they were talking about some special kind of flashing that was specifically aimed at causing seizures.

I don't think my avatar actually flashes any way. It just spins white around and kind of resembles flashing.

Thread: Hackers put flashing images on epilepsy site

LinkBack

Thread Tools

Display

Hackers put flashing images on epilepsy site

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions