'Anonymous' BART Police Attack: Hackers Expose Cops' Personal Information

SAN FRANCISCO -- Only days after hackers released the confidential user information of thousands of MyBart.org users, the members of the online "hacktavist" group Anonymous appear to have struck again.

This morning, they released on their Twitter feed the names, home addresses, email addresses and passwords of just over 100 BART police officers.

The group is protesting BART's decision to cut off cell phone service at its stations in preparation for a demonstration against the shooting of a homeless man by BART police earlier this year.

Even though that demonstration never materialized, the disruption in cellular service drew the ire of the hacker group who bristled at BART's perceived assault on the protesters' First Amendment rights.

ZDNet reports:

BART officials say they were still within their legal rights and acted proactively to prevent the situation from getting out of hand after BlackBerry Messenger (as well as Facebook and Twitter) was used in a similar fashion during the riots in the United Kingdom last week.

A protest on Monday drew dozens of people angry with how BART is handling the situation, resulting in the closure of a number of stations across downtown San Francisco.

The group as a whole is not taking credit for Wednesday's attack.SF Appeal reports:

It's worth noting that Anonymous appears not to be united in their hacking front -- while one member recently gave an interview to Democracy Now regarding his participation in Sunday's hack, another told the SF Examiner "The group that conducted the hacking, people need to know that it was NOT part of the plan, was/is NOT condoned by the majority of Anonymous, and was done IN SECRET."

Regarding today's attack, a tweet from an account frequently attributed to Anonymous, @AnonyOps, said "The leak today of BART officer data could be the work sanctioned by those who truly support anonymous, or agent provocateurs. Stay skeptical."

The group, which also claimed responsibility for attacks on the Spanish National Police Force, announced (also via Twitter) another protest against the transit organization scheduled for 5pm at the Civic Center BART station on August 22nd.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified the Twitter feed @OpBART as associated with 'Anonymous.' The two are not related.

Comments

[dbrett480]

03:25 PM on 08/19/2011

I guess all the supporters of Anonymous (otherwise known as unemployed college drop outs with computers) have failed to realize the hypocrisy of a group dedicated to online privacy releasing the contact information of people online. I can't wait until someone published Anonymous' contact information and exposes these knuckleheads for who they are (and probably catch some sex offenders too).

[Porbin]

04:04 PM on 08/18/2011

remember how annon has gotten so many people killed by releasing others personal info? you remember that?

i meen....it has happened right? dozens dead?

[Jacques Steen]

03:12 PM on 08/19/2011

No - urban legend.

[phantom power]

01:33 PM on 08/18/2011

We are Anonymous, We are legion, We don't forgive, We don't forget, United as one, Divided by zero, Expect us.

[Gay Iberian]

03:38 PM on 08/18/2011

I applaud the actions of Anonymous because their agenda is about the freedom of speech and, most importantly, to denounce the inhumane actions of Police everywhere, in that they think they have the right to shoot to kill. This is a disgrace! And what is most disgraceful is the fact not all of S.F. is demonstrating against this brutality and abuse of power. Kudos to Anonymous!!!!

[dbrett480]

11:11 PM on 08/19/2011

When you are done commenting, your mom wants you to come up from the basement and take out the trash.

[Stefani Pelletier]

01:30 PM on 08/18/2011

Because we all know it's the BART cops' faults that the company decided to block cell coverage. This is just another excuse to cause mayhem for mayhem's sake.

[ProgressBeforeAnything]

02:45 PM on 08/18/2011

They're not punishing cops because they think the cops were responsible for making the decision. They're giving the cops a hard time so that hopefully the cops will say to their bosses: 'WTF?!? Look what your brazen authoritarian actions have caused.'

[Stefani Pelletier]

04:58 PM on 08/18/2011

That's a given. My point is that hackers don't live by any rules when it comes to causing these sorts of issues. This is an easy scapegoat for causing unnecessary chaos.

[groucho42]

12:55 PM on 08/18/2011

The protesters could have organized a flash mob to show up at BART's main offices. They could have done it at SF city hall. Either would have drawn attention to the serious problem of the shooting without endangering the lives of people in the stations. There are still questions over that shooting that need to be answered, but you don't discuss possible abuses of safety by endangering people with flash mobs in stations. Flash mobs near fast moving trains are dangerous. It's that simple. BART has a responsibility to its riders to ensure, to the best of its ability, a safe trip through the system.

There are groups of hackers who test corporate and government computer security. They then notify the organization about the threats and say they'll publish the information if the hole isn't fixed. That's an ethical use of hacking skills. Really smart people find flaws in systems and try to fix the problems. They are people who give hacking a great name and reputation. Anonymous isn't part of that group.

On a tangent, I wish they'd permanently kill wireless communications in all public transport. The people who can't be quite for 10 minutes and yack in loud voices on trains and buses are truly annoying, whether they're in an expensive suit or are kids on the prowl.

[Wheelo]

02:17 PM on 08/18/2011

Well put Groucho. Fanned & fav'd.

I too lament that every BART train and station has become a phone booth.

[ProgressBeforeAnything]

02:41 PM on 08/18/2011

I never see/hear anyone talking on cell phones on BART trains... and if you have ever rode a BART train, you might be able to guess why: they're incredibly loud!

[groucho42]

06:54 PM on 08/19/2011

I have ridden them, though not in a few years. Maybe cell phones are cheaper these days, but plenty of people talked in the above ground segments of the rides.

[RogueJedi14]

12:39 PM on 08/18/2011

When you face men with guns and the protection of their comrades silence, you use what weapons you have. Anon doesn't take to violent means, information is all they have. I have a great respect for many police officers that I know, but have also seen some bully and intimidate others. they are entrusted with not only a station of authority, but with weapons that can kill. they must be extra careful with how they comport themselves as they are naturally threatening in appearance. I don't blame them completely, most I know are working 10 or 12 hour shifts in stressful jobs. But when cops kill a homeless man, and no cops actually speak out against it... at least someone is fighting back.

Police in big cities have, I fear, become too insulated in their idea that every day they may die.
Though this is true to a smaller degree, when it's beaten into the heads of the officers, they'll be quicker to draw to "save their lives". I think the deadly force needs to be removed the the equation for average patrol officers.

[groucho42]

12:47 PM on 08/18/2011

What a crock. Somehow, all the leaders of non-violent movements managed to respect their opponents and strove to do no harm. You don't. That you opened up people's lives to personal attacks, identity theft and other harm is violence. Court cases have repeatedly proven that harassment, psychological warfare and other "non-violent" attacks are truly violent and have found people guilty in civil cases.

To try to claim this is about "a cop killing a man" is a pile of hypocritical whining. It's about children who are chained to their wireless devices being mad that they might have to interact on a personal level with other people.

Attacking is not non-violence. By it's very name and actions, Anonymous is not for freedom.

[RogueJedi14]

01:48 PM on 08/18/2011

dude, check yourself... if this isn't the wrong comment your responding to, then you are outta line.

[dbrett480]

11:13 PM on 08/19/2011

Are you even aware of what caused the shooting? The homeless guy charged at the officer with a knife. The officer defended himself by using deadly force because a serious threat of deadly force was used against him.

[RogueJedi14]

12:23 PM on 08/20/2011

doesn't sound like the facts to me. even the police disagree with you.

http://www.baycitizen.org/bart-police-shooting/story/bart-officer-killed-man-25-seconds-after/

[groucho42]

12:32 PM on 08/18/2011

A group claiming to support openness and freedom of information going by the name of Anonymous. Yes, hypocrisy be thy name.

[Eris23]

01:06 PM on 08/18/2011

It's not a group, Dear.

[groucho42]

06:51 PM on 08/19/2011

You must have a strange definition of group. Well, if you have a messed up view of Anonymous, I'm not very surprised.

[phantom power]

01:36 PM on 08/18/2011

hold on groucho42, imma let you finish, but "america: land of the free" is the biggest hypocrisy of all time. OF ALL TIME!

[groucho42]

06:52 PM on 08/19/2011

True, I won't argue that. It's never been truly free, but it's been one of the freest places on the planet for a few hundred years. That people from both the Left and Right are trying to kill it is a danger. Anonymous is one of those threats.

[threeguard23]

12:29 AM on 09/08/2011

You can leave anytime and find a better country to terrorize...

[cmr11]

07:58 AM on 08/18/2011

the police have to realize you can only enforce the laws to a level the population will tolerate.... you want to shut down a service.... ok.... if you are willing to live with the ramification of that action... go right ahead and do it........

[ProfessorType]

06:33 AM on 08/18/2011

Hey Anonymous......Thank you. It's about time someone made police accountable. Doing it via the system never works because they cover up to protect each other, they lie, they cheat, they steal, they falsify evidence in court...you know, the stuff they were supposed to defend against. So keep up the good work, just don't get anyone hurt and I'm on your side.

[nohopepope2187]

02:34 AM on 08/18/2011

Maybe Anonymous did a dirty dee, but sometimes you have to play the villain to be the hero.

Batman did it...

[groucho42]

12:34 PM on 08/18/2011

and he's a comic book character, you dweeb. Those who really believe in civil disobedience must be willing to be open and suffer the consequences. From Gandhi, King, and other major movements, they stood up for their beliefs and went to jail for it. Freedom Riders gave their lives for it.

Children who know more about computers than most people but have no ethics or morals are not folks to idolize.

[nohopepope2187]

09:24 PM on 08/18/2011

These guys did what the rest of the population could not do for themselves - to make an omelet, you gotta crack a few eggs.

V from 'V for Vendetta' did it...

[Pema]

01:08 AM on 08/18/2011

i guess they really dont forget, or forgive.

[jadewai]

12:48 AM on 08/18/2011

Our freedoms our fathers died for no longer exist in our socialist society. FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

[Jayjaybe]

01:02 AM on 08/18/2011

Free speech isn't defined by the use of communications devices. It's a social environment that makes speech worthwhile. "our farthers" were socialists. "Society" informs that much. Even anti-social folks are welcome.

[Mitch Shaffer]

01:33 AM on 08/18/2011

no, but the intent of BART was clear, protests were going to happen, so they cut all cell service. it was the intention to quell free speech.

[cliffhammond]

05:56 AM on 08/18/2011

Socialist? Your mind really is on lock-down, isn't it?

[Jack L Rivers]

12:23 AM on 08/18/2011

This proves what I've been saying for a long time. Corporate security is heavily laden with flaws. Probably ought to start hiring some of those hackers to fill the soon-to-be-empty IT chairs.

[Jayjaybe]

12:51 AM on 08/18/2011

Programmers don't make business policies. Corporate management plays its typical brinksmanship of getting by until its hand is forced to upgrade. Hackers are more effective on the outside; inside they're just tools.

[Eris23]

09:29 AM on 08/18/2011

This is actually somewhat of a flawed assumption though. There are many people who understand how to break a window but have absolutely no idea how to fix it.

[KickstandCat]

12:14 AM on 08/18/2011

I'm sure I'm evil, but.......hahahahahahahahaha!

[sf girl]

12:43 AM on 08/18/2011

Would you still be laughing if your personal information was posted for the whole world to see?

[Pema]

01:11 AM on 08/18/2011

the only thing between you or i having that done is if someone decides to target us. the pooch is already you know what. we are on our way to recognition when we enter a store so they know what to advertise to us. i am guessing its some type of interconnected dry ware.
its like going to the screening process at the airport. i thought you poor sucker im 53, this is gonna hurt you alot more than its going to hurt me.

[KickstandCat]

09:09 AM on 08/18/2011

I'm sure it is. But I'm so uninteresting and I haven't killed anyone.

[CDL1]

10:58 PM on 08/17/2011

'Anonymous' BART Police Attack: Hackers Expose Cops' Personal Information

Good, next time a cop tries to kills a citizen he will think twice about it.

[Jayjaybe]

12:56 AM on 08/18/2011

Not thinking is the key, huh?

[skippythepinhead]

07:18 AM on 08/18/2011

Only thinking once, it seems

[dbrett480]

11:15 PM on 08/19/2011

Yes, when a cop uses deadly force to defend himself he is definitely thinking of what unemployed college students living in their parents basements think of him.

[CDL1]

12:45 PM on 08/20/2011

He will be when a hundred of them show up and burn his house down, haha.