Hackers Archives - Serious Startups

Geeklist Is Gearing Up For the Next #Hack4Good

This past summer Geeklist–the social platform for developers–launched a series of hackathons that had a global view from day one. #Hack4Good takes the typical hackathon/Startup Weekend format and turns it into a engine of social good. Rather than building companies in a weekend, participants work on real solutions for real problems. No photo sharing apps or black car service allowed.

Now, that’s something I can get excited about.

The hackathon doesn’t just happen in one city, though. On the announced date, developers around the world gather in their individual cities and hack their way into some social problem solving. The first #Hack4Good was held in June, with events in San Francisco, San Diego, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Tel Aviv, and Lisbon. There were some pretty cool projects produced.

The next #Hack4Good will be held October 4-6 in cities like New York, New Delhi, Kathmandu, Minsk, and more. Cincinnati (host also to a certain national startup conference) is also participating in the global event. If your city isn’t involved yet, you can hop online to participate.

The hackathon is mobile-focused, meaning projects are built on Android, iOS, Windows phone, or special sponsor Moovweb. Various API’s are opened for participant use, and each location offers prizes for the best teams.

#Hack4Good is looking to solve real world problems, which means many of the projects are instantly scalable. Natural disasters, famine, and war affect most our world, and the problems they cause extend to the majority of the population. Solutions that come from #Hack4Good could “change the world” in the best possible way.

“We feel the team at Geeklist knows what the developer/tech community is capable of solving and is organizing hackers for social good, honest efforts, to solve real serious problems with their second global hackathon for good,” said Charlie Key, CEO of Modulus, one of the sponsors of the Cincinnati hackathon.

Are you a developer, UI/UX guru, or design specialist interested in changing the world? It’s not too late to sign up in your city or online.

Rogue Anonymous Member Takes Responsibility For Downing The Ship Of Pirate Bay

Two days ago we reported on how Pirate Bay, the leading site for illegal torrents was being attacked by DDoS attacks. However, at the time no one including Pirate Bay knew who the attack was coming from. Leading votes where from the MPAA, RIAA or a Government, after Anonymous claimed it wasn’t them. That’s when the thought came to me that It could be someone(team) that has defected from the collective and that’s what it turned out to be.

[Updated] Anonymous Denies Attack Yet Pirate Bay Still Downed By DDoS Attack

Down goes the ship. That’s what’s been happening over at Pirate Bay for the last couple of day. The popular torrent site has been plagued by non-stop DDoS attacks. Known to be one of the most prolific sites for illegal torrents(Simply, a torrent is data about a target file, though it contains no information about the content of the file. The only data that the torrent holds is information about the location of different pieces of the target file. Torrents work by dividing the target file into small information chunks, found on an unlimited number of different hosts. Through this method, torrents are able to download large files quickly) As well as legal torrents. However, in recent times the site has come under legal attack in Europe by forcing ISP’s to block access to the site.

In reaction to that, Anonymous has targeted multiple sites, including UK’s Virgin Media, which Pirate Bay actually condemned them for those actions. However, Anonymous has sent out multiple comments on different social sites claiming those attacks on Pirate Bay are not their doing.

Karma? Arianna Huffington Gets Hacked By Nigerian Hackers

Gawker is reporting and now Arianna her self is confirming that yesterday morning her personal email was hacked into. For those who don’t know who she is, she is the founder of Huggington Post, a blog site which after selling to AOL for over $300 million never gave a dime to her workers, many of whom she never paid in the past.

The email went out to look like Arianna her self sent a document for people to see. What it did was leave those who opened the email to a mock site for users to log into. Thus providing their email and passwords to the hackers.

Member Of Anonymous, Arrested Thanks To A Picture Of His Girlfriend

FBI officials, thanks to a photo uploaded by Higinio O. Ochoa or as he likes to be called “Anonw0rmer”,part of the “CabinCr3w”, was arrested thanks to the Data on a photo he uploaded. A 30 year old Linux administrator Ochoa was part of “Operation Pig Roast” which accessed sites belonging to law enforcement groups and releasing personal information via Paste Bin like so many other Anonymous hacks in the past.

The photo in question that lead to the arrest as well as other small information left by Ochoa is what lead authorities to his apartment. After the photo started who did the hack,

Anonymous To China, This Is Just A Start Of Things To Come

We reported how on 30 March, Anonymous took down some Chinese government websites in reactions to human conditions in which Anon believe China is depriving its citizens of. One of those who “control” the @AnonymousChina tells Reuters

First we want to alert the Chinese government that we aren’t afraid, and we are going to show the truth and fight for justice

This isn’t the first time that Anonymous has gone after a government in which they believe have done wrong. This past weekend, another wing of Anonymous went after the British governments websites for actions it also did.

Yes, we are planning more attacks, a few at a time, the plan was to take down the “Great Firewall of China

Breaking: Anonymous Hacks Chinese Site

Anonymous, has in the past shown great “humanitarian” beliefs by going after government sites in which those countries take away the freedom from their people. That is just what Anonymous did yet again by Hacking multiple Chinese related sites. But instead of defacing them, left messages explaining how people in China can have a free internet, without the censorship of it’s dictating Government.

A new Twitter account has been opened just for Anonymous attacks against China, which we have a feeling will start to become very active in response to preventing it’s people from having a free world.

MasterCard And Visa Hack, Work Of Anonymous Again?

Both Visa and MasterCard are reporting that over 10 million customers of both Credit Card companies have had their information hacked into.

As a result, we have alerted payment card issuers regarding certain MasterCard accounts that are potentially at risk

Krebs has been quoted on their Security blog. What they’ve failed to mention though is if this is payback from Anonymous as they have gone after both companies before. Or if this is another group of hackers. Alerts where sent out last week to banks as the Hack happened between Jan. 21 and Feb. 25.

Credit Cards them selves where not the target, however the processing of them was.

We’ve seen in the past that after both companies stopped letting donations to Wikileaks, that Anonymous hacked into both companies. Could this be their doing again is the question.

Both Visa and MasterCard have refused comment on this so far as the investigation is still on going. As well as the fact it’s yet another black eye on both companies as they continue to feel heat from Hackers who continue to go after both companies.

Return Voyage For LulzSec? Rumors Say Yes And No

The infamous collective of 6 people who became famous last year for websites in which they’ve hacked as well as companies may be back. Or may not be, matters whom you talk to. LulzSec because famous quickly via Twitter for hacking into the likes of Fox’s TV shows and reveling the contestants before the X-Factor even aired. Along with hacks like PBS and others. However, in the last couple of weeks everything seemed to have ended with their “leader” Sabu, who was outed as a FBI informant.

Now a YouTube video may contradict their demise…