Hackers deface Libya's top level domain registry with anti-Gaddafi message

Filed Under: Vulnerability

Nic.ly logoWith heavy fighting reaching the compound of Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi, hackers have also taken virtual arms overnight and defaced the website of domain name registry nic.ly.

Hackers calling themselves "Electr0n" have defaced the nic.ly website, the main registry which administers .ly domain names (the ".ly" stands for "Libya") and replaced it with a defiant message:

Nic.ly defaced website

[+] HACKED By Electr0n[+]
&
|~| ali monder |~|

bye bye Qadaffi
Feb 17 Libya

Greetz to
Dr.exe | Qnix | Rock-Master | LoverBoy | r1z
And All Muslim Hackers :)

The date February 17th relates to when Libyan protesters began their demonstrations only to be shot upon by security forces loyal to Colonel Gaddafi.

Perhaps the most famous site to use the .ly country code as as their top level domain is the bit.ly url shortening service. Companies which have .ly country codes in their domain name do not appear to been impacted by the hack, which seems to just be a defacement of the nic.ly main page.

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About the author

Graham Cluley has worked in the computer security industry for more than 20 years, developing anti-virus software and doing quite a lot of talking about internet threats. He's won awards for his blogging, but is proudest of the text adventure games he wrote when he was still wearing short trousers. You can learn more about those (the games, not the trousers) at grahamcluley.com. Send Graham an email, subscribe to his updates on Facebook, follow him on Twitter and App.net, and circle him on Google Plus for regular updates.