Bad news for people who like sharing huge, possibly copyrighted material over the web: CNN is reporting that popular file sharing site Megaupload has been taken down by Federal agents just a few hours ago, with its founders and owner being charged with violating piracy laws. Federal prosecutors are saying that the file sharing site has cost copyright holders more than $500 million in lost revenue, and that 4 executives including Megaupload founder Kim “Dotcom” Schmitz were arrested in in New Zealand at the request of U.S. officials. The takedown of the filesharing site is a huge blow, especially when you consider the site’s metrics – 150 million registered users, 50 million daily visitors accounting for about 4% of total internet traffic.
Of course, hacking collective Anonymous was not happy with the takedown, and has flown into a hacking fury. The group has initiated massive retaliatory strikes against the websites of the Department of Justice (DoJ.gov), the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Universal Music Group (UMG), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and a whole host of other industry related sites. The attacks are still ongoing right now, and while some of the sites have gotten back up, most of them are still feeling the massive pain from Anonymous’ DDoS attacks. Gizmodo says that this is possibly one of the biggest coordinated DDoS attacks ever assembled by the hacking collective. The group has released the statement below following the attacks.
January 19th, 2012
Popular file-sharing website megaupload.com gets shutdown by U.S Justice – FBI and charged its founder with violating piracy laws. Four Megaupload members were also arrested. The FBI released a press release on its website which you can view here:
http://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/justice-department-charges-leaders-of-megaupload-with-widespread-online-copyright-infringement
We Anonymous are launching our largest attack ever on government and music industry sites. Lulz. The FBI didn’t think they would get away with this did they? They should have expected us.
#OpMegaupload
The following sites were taken down in response to the FBI shutting down megaupload.com
:) TANGO DOWN
justice.gov
universalmusic.com
riaa.org
mpaa.org
copyright.gov
hadopi.fr
wmg.com
usdoj.gov
bmi.com
fbi.gov
(We have removed the addresses of MPAA Chairman Christopher Dodd because of privacy)
Motion Picture Association of America Corporate Offices:
Washington, D.C.
1600 Eye St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
Phone: (202) 293-1966
Fax: (202) 296-7410
Los Angeles
15301 Ventura Blvd., Building E
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
Phone: (818) 995-6600
Fax: (818) 285-4403
New York
200 White Plains Road 1st Floor
Tarrytown, NY 10591
Phone: (914) 333-8892
Fax: (914) 333-7541
Chicago
1010 Lake St.
Suite 422
Oak Park, IL 60301
708-660-0481
Phone: (708) 660-0481
Fax:(708) 660-0484
Dallas
1425 Greenway Dr.
Suite 270
Irving, TX 75038
Phone: (972) 756-9078
Fax: (972) 756-9402
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Rua Jerônimo da Veiga, 45, Conj 121/122, 12º Floor
Jardim Europa, São Paulo, S.P
04536-000, Brazil
Phone: 011-55-11-3667-2080
Website: www.mpaal.org.br
Brussels, Belgium
Motion Picture Association
Brussels office
Avenue des Arts 46 box 8
B – 1000 Brussels
Phone: +32 2 778 27 11
Fax: +32 2 778 27 00/+32 2 778 27 50
Mexico City, Mexico
Lafontaine #42
Chapultepec Polanco
Mexico, 11560 DF
Phone: 011-5255 5280 6878/5281 6090
Singapore
#04-07 Central Mall
No. 1 Magazine Road
Singapore 059567
Phone: +65 6253 1033
Phone: +65 6255 1838
Website: www.mpa-i.org
Toronto, Canada
55 St. Clair Avenue, West
Suite 210
Toronto, ON M4V 2Y7
Phone: (416) 961-1888
Phone: (416) 968-1016
Website: www.mpa-canada.org
MPAA Email: [email protected]
Other Contact Info:
Website: http://chrisdodd.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SenChrisDodd
Twitter: http://twitter.com/SenChrisDodd
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/SenChrisDodd
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/SenChrisDodd
Miscellanous: http://www.peekyou.com/chris_dodd/229085828
We are Anonymous.
We are Legion.
We do not Forgive.
We do not Forget.
Expect Us.
@AnonymousWiki