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ellen_messmer
Senior Editor, Network World

Taliban Website, Phones Reportedly Hacked

News
Jul 20, 20111 min
Data and Information SecurityFirewallsNetwork Security

In the current wave of hacking incidents, the Taliban in Afghanistan is not immune, Wednesday saying its website and cellphones were hacked. Several reports say the hack resulted in what the Taliban says is false information being sent out that its leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, is dead due to heart problems.

In the current wave of hacking incidents, the Taliban in Afghanistan is not immune, Wednesday saying its website and cellphones were hacked. Several reports say the hack resulted in what the Taliban says is false information being sent out that its leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, is dead due to heart problems.

The Associated Press reported that Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said that the early morning announcement about the death of Mullah Omar is false and “was the result of a hack.” Several other news organizations, including The Telegraph, also report Taliban complaints about having their mobile phones and website hacked in what Taliban leaders regard as disinformation and morale-busting tactics perpetrated against them by “Americans” and “foreigners.” The Telegraph reports NATO had no official comment about it.

BACKGROUND: Who are all these hacker groups?

Hacking incidents with political and military overtones of one kind or another have surged of late, with hactivist groups Anonymous and Inj3ct0r Team attacking targets such as government contractor Booz Allen Hamilton and separately a NATO server to gain information apparently intended to harm U.S. military interests.

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