[UPDATE] The blog is back up.
[ORIGINAL]
On the same day that LinkedIn has launched its new iPad app, the announcement of the app on the LinkedIn blog is unavailable. In fact, the entire blog is unavailable due to an attack on the site.
The Next Web (TNW) is reporting that the blog has apparently been hacked by a group calling themselves the Syrian Electronic Army (SEA). TNW points to a Twitter account that reports SEA hacking:
@Th3Pr0_SEA
Th3 Pr0#SEA #Syria #RealSyria
@Linkedin Blog http://t.co/xLrhQjA8 Get Hacked By Syrian Electronic Army | http://t.co/P3NsHQZz | @YourAnonNews
18 hours ago via web · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
A mirrored link to the blog shows what became of the site. An image of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in front of the Syrian flag took the place of the blog.
The image was followed by a message from the hackers, excoriating the Syrian National Council as a front of the Muslim Brotherhood:
“We are a group of Syrian youth who wanted to show the truth and therefore we used this website which was used to spread lies about Syria. We are the Syrian Electronic Army and we come in pekoe for those who want peace for Syria.” [sic]
It is unclear why LinkedIn was the target of this attack. The manifesto graffiti left on the site doesn’t mention LinkedIn by name at all. The company takes no stance on Syrian politics. The only assumption that can be made at this point is that LinkedIn was targeted because of the iPad announcement. The SEA co-opted the announcement to get their message out. It appears to be an example of the recent rise in “hacktivist” attacks.
Let’s hope LinkedIn, who was obviously innocent, can get their blog back in shape soon. I hear that new iPad app is a good one.
(via The Next Web)
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