4Chan Hackers Attack Yakoozo.com

UK based hotel search engine Yakoozo.com ground to a halt recently after being subject to a major cyber-attack by users of the notorious image posting website 4chan.

The attack took place on 12/10/2011 when internet users visiting Yakoozo where faced with explicit pornographic images, defaced pages and abusive text throughout the yakoozo website.

4Chan users coordinated the attack from the websites community posting real-time threads issuing instruction, orders and commands to users. This resulted in large traffic spikes, whilst up to 100 hackers breached website security. It is believed the attackers used SQL injection techniques to gain access, similar to the attacks on Nokia, world governments and countless other high profile attacks. Administrators have now removed the threads from their website.

According to the Washington Post, “4 Chans users have managed to pull off some of the highest-profile collective actions in the history of the Internet.” KKTV Fox 11 aired a report on Anonymous, calling them a group of “hackers on steroids”, “domestic terrorists”, and collectively an “Internet hate machine” on July 26, 2007.

As an onlooker, It seems no online business can protect itself regardless of its stature, size or the security measures taken. Just ask Sony, Google, YouTube, and worldwide governments, all of which have endured the wrath of 4chan or similar organizations.

Fraser Hunter Founder of yakoozo confirmed the attack:
“The purpose of the attack was to try and annihilate the site as much as possible”

Yakoozo was back in business again some hours later offering hotels exclusive profile listings on its search engine for the accommodation industry.

Yakoozo completed online testing in May 2011 and has received hundreds of luxury hotels, budget hotels, bed and breakfasts and hotel brands on to its website.

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Robert Greyson

Internet Reviewer

Cyber Reviewer

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