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 is senior technology consultant at Sophos. The readers of Computer Weekly voted him security blogger of the year in 2009 and 2010, and he pipped Stephen Fry to the title of "Twitter user of the year" too. Which was nice. He was also named "Best Security Blogger" by the readers of SC Magazine in 2011. You can subscribe to Graham's updates on Facebook, follow him on Twitter and circle him on Google Plus for regular updates.