I must admit I was hopeful that the “SiegedSec” would perform another bit of cyber-espionage and I was not disappointed. The self-described “gay furries” hacker collective recently repeated the activities of last year. Over seven days, SiegedSec targeted NATO, Israeli technological companies, and AmplifyAI before the coup-de-grâce of accessing personal information of supporters of The Heritage Foundation. The group released the leak with the following statement on its Telegram channel:
“Project 2025 threatens the rights of abortion healthcare and LGBTQ+ communities in particular. So of course, we won’t stand for that!”
“I wonder what would happen if we leaked the passwords, email addresses, and full names of every user, every US government employee, even the Heritage president Kevin Roberts.”
We recently covered Project 2025, for which the Heritage Foundation spearheaded. The ultra-conservative Christian nationalist plan has received widespread condemnation and even former President Donald Trump has attempted to distance himself from it… even though his previous administration was instrumental in its development. The personal information was accessed via the Heritage Foundation’s media and commentary site The Daily Signal.
RELATED LINK: All Gay Content is Adult Content, According to GOP’s New Plan
The Heritage Foundation Funded Mike Howell Howls
Mike Howell, a current Daily Signal investigative columnist and executive director of Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project contacted one of SiegeSec’s members known as ‘vio’ via Signal that grew more unhinged as he went on. The full text interactions, which have been authenticated by Howells, can be viewed here.
My personal favorite part is the following back and forth:
Mike Howell:
Are you aware that you won’t be able to wear a furry tiger costume when you’re getting pounded in the ass in the federal prison I put you in next year?
vio:
such unprofessional language from an executive director, would you mind if i shared this? :3
Mike Howell:
Please share widely. I hope the word spreads as fast as the STDs do in your degenerate furry community.
Since this discussion SiegeSec has stated they are disbanding due to concerns for their members well-being.
“Given the circumstances [I] believe it[‘s] best we do so now. [F]or our own mental health, the stress of mass publicity, and to avoid the eye of the FBI,” their Telegram channel states.
“I’ve been considering quitting cybercrime lately, and the other members have agreed it[‘s] time to let SiegedSec rest for good.”
“[W]e may not be a cybercriminal group anymore, but we will always [be] hackers and always fighting for the rights of others.”
Howells claimed this as a victory on his X account (Twitter). But I’d be surprised if its the last we here from this band of cybercriminals.
And I am whatever you say I am
If I wasn’t, then why would I say I am?
In the paper, the news, every day I am
Ha, radio won’t even play my jam
‘Cause I am whatever you say I am
If I wasn’t, then why would I say I am?
In the paper, the news, every day I am
Ha, I don’t know, that’s… https://t.co/jz7dOd4UcM— Mike Howell (@MHowellTweets) July 10, 2024
Sources: The Guardian, The Register, The Rolling Stone, Star Observer, Signal, Telegram, The Verge, X