As stated in previous blog posts, hackers don’t just hack websites to steal online databases and credit card details.  Hacktivism, where innocent websites are defaced from malicious users to transmit their political view or opinion, is on the increase.  In many major world political events, online criminals have a great chance to try and gain more victims.

The presidential election protest in Iran, has already led to a range of hacktivism attacks against innocent websites, like the Oregon University System’s website.  The university’s website was defaced for about 90 minutes, and all visitors were redirected to a hacker controlled website, who posted a message criticizing the protests in Iran.  The message included insults aimed at US President Barack Obama, and made depreciatory comments about Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi.

The redirect didn’t harm visitors’ computers, or transfer any malware or viruses.  Still, such attack against your website can cost your business a good fortune, due to down time and bad reputation.  So, whatever the type of online audience your business has, it is always important to secure websites and web applications, as they are always a target!