Expert: Impossible to Tell Who is Behind Cyber Attack on WikiLeaks

Image: wikileaks.ch

The cyber attack on the WikiLeaks website may not be the work of a state, despite popular belief that the whistle-blower organization has been targeted by government-backed hackers, experts said.

Dave Clemente, a cybersecurity analyst from Britain’s Chatham House think-tank, told AFP a 10-gigabit attack was “relatively modest” and “could be done with probably a handful of relatively powerful computers.”

Clemente also said it was “almost impossible” to work out who has launched a DDoS attack.

“It’s really more of a jab in the eye than a serious challenge,” he said. “This kind of attack is not going to bring down WikiLeaks.”

This kind of attack uses a botnet, which is a network computers controlled from a central point and primarily used for fraud purposes.

Tony Dyhouse, cybersecurity director of the British-based Digital Systems Knowledge Transfer Network, told AFP:

“I certainly would not jump to the conclusion that this is the act of a state. It could indeed be a disaffected group within a country.”

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