Netiquette IQ Security Alert - Has ISIS Hacked United States Websites?

Hackers Claiming to Be ISIS Hit Several US Websites

By M. Alex Johnson

A Montana credit union's website and the home pages of several other U.S. entities were taken over by hackers claiming to be affiliated with ISIS over the weekend, but authorities doubt there's any link. 

Customers who went to Southwest Montana Community Federal Credit Union's site Saturday were greeted by a picture of the black ISIS flag and the words "hacked by ISIS, we are everywhere," with a Facebook address that doesn't exist. The site was taken down and remained down Sunday night, with the message "Under Construction." 

The credit union's chief executive, Tom Dedman, told NBC station KTVM of Butte that the site was offline so a security specialist could investigate. 

Silver Bow County Sheriff Ed Lester told KTVM that no account information was compromised. He said his office had contacted the FBI, but he was highly doubtful that the hack anything to do with the Islamist extremist group. 

"I don't think ISIS agents would be interested in a hack like this," Lester said. "I think this is more likely a domestic hacker rather than international cyberterrorism."

Similar hacks were reported at:

• Two companies in St. Louis: MERS Goodwill and the digital agency Elasticity. MERS Goodwill Executive Vice President Mark Arens told NBC station KSDK: "I had a lot of disbelief. Kind of turned to my wife to say we've been attacked by ISIS. She had a number of questions."
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• The historic Montauk Manor, a condominium complex on New York's Long Island. "It's been a fun day," Kathy Surrey, the complex's night manager, told the newspaper Newsday. "I don't mind the advertising, but this isn't good advertising."

The home page of Southwest Montana Community Federal Credit Union was replaced with the ISIS standard. Authorities say no account information was compromised.
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