Amy Winehouse website defaced by gay rap fans
Another celeb downed by Net japesters
By John E Dunn | Techworld | Published: 16:02, 01 July 2011
The website of British singer Amy Winehouse has been defaced by a unruly hacking group that claimed it was attacking her as part of a campaign against fellow-acts, Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga.
Using the name 'SwagSec', the previously unknown group has used the now fairly standard tactic of littering the official fansite with a chamless text rant against the artist coupled to an image, in this case, of rapper Lil B.
“Antisec u already got owned once...we run the Internet. U run ****ing Brazilian routers & a couple small-time Brazilian Gov’s, opened the expletive-fuelled message on Winehouse’s site, which is currently redirecting to the singer’s Facebook profile.
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“Wer not affiliated wit anonymous...dont u dare say wer Anonymous U ****ing moranz. Anonymous don’t know wtf dey doing,” the message continued doing the group’s reputation as literary giants no favours.
The group continued its rant, apparently against the attention given to white artists and in favour of gay people.
The tactic of “hacking” and defacing celebrity websites is now well-established and is usually seen as a low-level nuisance more than a significant act of hacking. Many sites don‘t seem well secured and present easy targets. Winehouse was probably a victim of poor security rather than a campaign targeting her in particular.
Witness footballer Ronaldinho, who had this personal website defaced in May, or the clutch of other celebrities who have experienced the same treatment.
Last year former Kiss front man Gene Simmons was hit by a series of more serious DDoS attacks against his website in connection with his views on copyright. The attackers claimed to be connected to the Anonymous hacking group.
It caps a bad month for Winehouse who earlier in the month was booed off a Belgrade stage after a dishevelled performance that marked a new low in an oft-troubled career.
