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We are anonymous inside the hacker world of lulzse

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Image board: An online discussion forum with loose guidelines in which users <strong>of</strong>ten attach images to help illustrate <strong>the</strong>ir comments.<br />

Also known as “chans,” <strong>the</strong>y <strong>are</strong> easy to create and maintain. Certain image boards <strong>are</strong> known for specific topics, e.g., 420chan is<br />

known for its discussion <strong>of</strong> drugs.<br />

IP (Internet Protocol) address: The unique number assigned to every device that is connected to a computer network or <strong>the</strong> Internet.<br />

Each IP address consists <strong>of</strong> four sets <strong>of</strong> numbers separated by periods.<br />

IRC (Internet Relay Chat): Perhaps <strong>the</strong> most prevalent method <strong>of</strong> communication among supporters <strong>of</strong> Anonymous, IRC networks<br />

<strong>of</strong>fer <strong>the</strong> kind <strong>of</strong> real-time text conversation that image boards cannot. IRC allows users to talk to one ano<strong>the</strong>r within chat rooms, or<br />

“channels,” and have existed since <strong>the</strong> late 1980s. Each IRC network attracts communities who sh<strong>are</strong> a common interest, such as <strong>the</strong><br />

AnonOps IRC, which attracts those interested in Anonymous. Network and channel “operators” moderate <strong>the</strong> discussions on <strong>the</strong>se<br />

networks; such roles <strong>are</strong> seen as an indicator <strong>of</strong> high social status.<br />

LOIC (low orbit ion cannon): Originally created as a stress-testing tool for servers, this open-source <strong>We</strong>b application has become<br />

popular among supporters <strong>of</strong> Anonymous as a digital weapon that, if used by enough people, can be used to carry out a DDoS attack<br />

on a website.<br />

Lulz: An alteration <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> abbreviation LOL (laugh out loud), this term is thought to have first appe<strong>are</strong>d on an Internet Relay Chat<br />

network in 2003 in reaction to something funny. It now refers to <strong>the</strong> enjoyment felt after pursuing a prank or online disruption that<br />

leads to someone else’s embarrassment.<br />

LulzSec: A splinter group <strong>of</strong> <strong>hacker</strong>s who temporarily broke away from Anonymous in <strong>the</strong> summer <strong>of</strong> 2011 to pursue a series <strong>of</strong> more<br />

focused, high-pr<strong>of</strong>ile attacks on companies like Sony and government agencies like <strong>the</strong> FBI. Founded by hacktivists nicknamed<br />

Topiary and Sabu, it had six core members and between a dozen and two dozen second-tier supporters at any one time.<br />

Lurk: To browse a site, IRC network, or image board such as 4chan without posting for any length <strong>of</strong> time, <strong>of</strong>ten with <strong>the</strong> intent <strong>of</strong><br />

learning <strong>the</strong> site’s culture so as not to stand out as a new user. Lurkers can be deemed unwelcome in certain IRC networks if <strong>the</strong>y<br />

never contribute to discussions.<br />

Meme: A catchphrase or image that has become inadvertently popular, thanks to <strong>the</strong> viral quality <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Internet, and whose meaning is<br />

typically lost on mainstream <strong>We</strong>b users. Often serving as in jokes for Anonymous supporters, many memes, such as “over 9000” or<br />

“delicious cake,” <strong>are</strong> sourced from old computer games or originate from discussions on /b/. O<strong>the</strong>r examples: “Rick Rolling” and<br />

“pedobear.”<br />

Moralfag: A label attached to ei<strong>the</strong>r a 4chan user or an adherent <strong>of</strong> Anonymous who disagrees with <strong>the</strong> moral direction <strong>of</strong> a post,<br />

image, trolling method, idea, raid, or activity. Often used as a derogatory term.<br />

Newfag: A user on 4chan’s /b/ who is ei<strong>the</strong>r new or ignorant <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> customs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> community.<br />

Oldfag: A user on /b/ who understands <strong>the</strong> customs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> community, usually after spending years on <strong>the</strong> site.<br />

OP (original poster): Anyone who starts a discussion thread on an image board. In 4chan culture, <strong>the</strong> OP is always called “a faggot.”<br />

Pastebin: A simple but extremely popular website that allows anyone to store and publish text. The site has been increasingly used over<br />

<strong>the</strong> last two years by supporters <strong>of</strong> Anonymous as a means to publish stolen data, such as confidential e-mails and passwords from<br />

<strong>We</strong>b databases. It has also served as a platform for <strong>hacker</strong>s to publish press releases, a method used by <strong>the</strong> Anonymous splinter group<br />

LulzSec during <strong>the</strong>ir hacking spree in <strong>the</strong> summer <strong>of</strong> 2011.<br />

Rules <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Internet: A list <strong>of</strong> 47 “rules” that <strong>are</strong> thought to have originated from an IRC conversation in 2006, and from which <strong>the</strong><br />

Anonymous tagline “<strong>We</strong> do not forgive, we do not forget” originates. The rules cover cultural etiquette on image boards such as<br />

4chan and things to expect from online communities, such as an absence <strong>of</strong> women.<br />

Script: A relatively simple computer program that is <strong>of</strong>ten used to automate tasks.<br />

Script kiddie: A derogatory term used for someone who may hold ambitions to be a black hat <strong>hacker</strong> and who uses well-known and<br />

freely available <strong>We</strong>b tools, or “scripts,” to attack computer networks. Script kiddies <strong>of</strong>ten seek to boost <strong>the</strong>ir social status among<br />

friends by hacking.<br />

Server: A computer that helps process access to central resources or services for a network <strong>of</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r computers.<br />

Shell: A s<strong>of</strong>tw<strong>are</strong> interface that reads and executes commands. On certain vulnerable websites, a <strong>hacker</strong> can get a shell to a server on<br />

which <strong>the</strong> site is hosted, using its admin control panel, and <strong>the</strong> shell, as <strong>the</strong> new interface, <strong>the</strong>n gives that <strong>hacker</strong> control <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> site.<br />

Social engineering: The act <strong>of</strong> lying to or speaking to a person in <strong>the</strong> guise <strong>of</strong> a false identity, or under false pretenses, in order to weed<br />

out information.<br />

SQL injection: Also known as SQLi and sometimes pronounced “sequel injection,” this term refers to a method <strong>of</strong> gaining access to a<br />

vulnerable <strong>We</strong>b database by inserting special commands into that database, sometimes via <strong>the</strong> same web forms as <strong>the</strong> site’s normal<br />

users. The process is a way <strong>of</strong> acquiring information from a database that should be hidden from normal users.<br />

Troll: A person who <strong>anonymous</strong>ly harasses or mocks ano<strong>the</strong>r individual or group online, <strong>of</strong>ten by leaving comments on website forums<br />

or, in extreme cases, by hacking into social media accounts. When used as a verb, “trolling” can also mean spinning an elaborate lie.<br />

The goal is ultimately to anger or humiliate.<br />

VPN (virtual private network): Network technology that provides remote, secure access over <strong>the</strong> Internet through a process known as<br />

tunneling. Many organizations use VPNs to enable <strong>the</strong>ir staff to work from home and connect securely to a central network. Hackers<br />

and supporters <strong>of</strong> Anonymous, however, use VPNs to replace <strong>the</strong>ir true IP addresses, allowing <strong>the</strong>m to hide from authorities and<br />

o<strong>the</strong>rs in <strong>the</strong> community.<br />

White hat: Someone who knows how to hack into a computer network and steal information but uses that ability to help protect<br />

websites and organizations.<br />

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