Defaced: the graphic inserted into a Tasmanian government email
The Tasmanian government became the victim of a hacker today when a member of the group S4t4n1c_s0uls defaced an email sent to the state's media outlets at 9am.
CSO Online understands that the information in the email was real. However a graphic had been inserted, featuring Neo from the movie The Matrix and an illustration of a grinning spider, presumably the logo of the hacker sp1d3r who claimed responsibility for the attack.
The text "S4t4n1c_S0uls was Here! - by Sp1d3r" was also added, and Premier Lara Giddings' title changed to "Acting Acting Premier".
The email's headers, obtained by CSO Online, show that it was sent from the computer ws1-15murray.dpac.tas.gov.au running Debian GNU/Linux 3.0, which would appear to be a web server in the Department of Premier and Cabinet. There are indications that the hacker had root (administrator) access.
S4t4n1c_s0uls has claimed responsibility for almost 100 website defacements this month, including sites in Brazil, Jamaica, China, India and the Philippines. Five Chinese government websites were hit, and one in the Philippines.
Premier Giddings told the media she does not believe any sensitive information has been accessed. A Government spokesman says the incident is not impacting on day-to-day government services, the ABC reported.