Anonymous hackers target South Bend company's website

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[h=1]Anonymous hackers target South Bend company's website[/h]

By DAVE STEPHENS South Bend Tribune 11:22 a.m. EST, December 28, 2011

SOUTH BEND — An international company based in South Bend has been targeted by hackers claiming to be a part of the group Anonymous.

On Wednesday, users of the website for Abro Industries Inc., an adhesives and automotive fluids supplier that sells its products exclusively overseas, were redirected to the black and white image of a headless suit, followed by a short letter.

The message read, in part, “It has come to the attention of the Anonymous activist community that you have chosen to support the SOPA Act.”

The Stop Online Piracy Act, which was being discussed in Congress before it recessed for the holiday break, looks to regulate copyrighted materials on the internet. Opponents of the bill argue that the law would lead to censorship.

Reached by phone Wednesday morning, Abro president Peter Baranay was initially unaware that his company’s website had been attacked, but later confirmed that it had.

“I’m not a very happy camper,” Baranay said, adding that it appeared someone had committed several felonies.

Baranay said Wednesday morning he wasn’t sure if his company had lobbied in support of the bill. But Baranay and Abro have been stanch supporters of anti-piracy measures in the past.

In the early 2000s, Abro began fighting with foreign companies that were using the company’s name and packaging to manufacture and sell counterfeit products.

In 2005, Baranay was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve on the U.S. Trade Representatives advisory committee, in part because of his company’s experience fighting against the piracy of its products in China and other countries.

Although it’s not known where the hacking attack came from, postings online by someone claiming to be Anonymous do mention the company.

One posting, on the website www.pastebin.com, encourages people to contact companies that lobbied for the SOPA bill, and lists more 60 different companies, including Abro Industries.

Anonymous, which is a loose collaboration of political advocates and computer hackers, has been connected to everything from the Occupy movement to the recently reported theft of internal documents from a Texas-based securities company.

Sursa: Anonymous hackers target South Bend company's website - wsbt.com