Hackers "Seize-rolled" Epilepsy Sufferers in a Support Forum

This incident is quite possibly the first computer attack to inflict physical harm on the victims: hackers uploaded a flashing computer animation to an epilepsy support forum to trigger epileptic attacks!

RyAnne Fultz, a 33-year-old woman who suffers from pattern-sensitive epilepsy, says she clicked on a forum post with a legitimate-sounding title on Sunday. Her browser window resized to fill her screen, which was then taken over by a pattern of squares rapidly flashing in different colors.

Fultz says she "locked up."

"I don't fall over and convulse, but it hurts," says Fultz, an IT worker in Coeur d'Alene, Ohio. "I was on the phone when it happened, and I couldn't move and couldn't speak."

After about 10 seconds, Fultz's 11-year-old son came over and drew her gaze away from the computer, then killed the browser process, she says.

http://www.wired.com/politics/security/news/2008/03/epilepsy (Photo: RyAnne Fultz) - Thanks AnotherJake!


That is messed up! My mother suffers from a pretty bad form of epilepsy and I just cannot fathom anyone doing something this stupid. They must have known it would cause harm...
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
It's all fun games until someones gets killed.

I never liked those animation website that can cause epiliptic seizure... they're pointless and annoying.

I was sad when they said the video of the song "Run" from Gnarls Barkley caused pain for epileptic. It's a good video and I would have liked to have it on my Ipod.

Here's the video ( Warning if you are epiliptic, this video may give you an epiliptic seizure. )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GA3a15xF0c&NR=1

The trippy part start at the 2:00 min mark.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
The latest gossip floating around on Digg is that this was done by the Church of Scientology in the name of Anonymous to attempt to muddy their name or something to that effect. I'm not saying that's the case, or that it's even credible, but that's the word that's bouncing around in the intertubes.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Whoever the scumbag is that did this needs a few years in a state prison to think about his decision to pull such a "prank".

There's no excuse for any sort of unprovoked assault and this is can be considered nothing else.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
I think Wired called them out as "griefers", vs. hackers.

The loose organization and deliberate coordination of attack is what gets them elevated from individual jerkiness.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
You know it's probably a bunch of kids or 20 somethings who spend all there time in front of the computer instead of making real friends. I see it all the time and it's really sad how cruel they are because they know the internet is anonymous.

The only way to stop it is if you expose the people who did this and publicly humiliate them.

It is for this reason that I wish the internet wasn't so good at hiding your identity because people need to know their actions will have consequences like in the real world. (I know its a double edged sword here especially for people living in countries like China and Iran)
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
I go to one of the sites mentioned (7chan) and I can tell you that they (probably) didn't do it. People who call for raids of any sort are universally derided (perpetrators are dubbed "raidfags") and often banned. Most raids originate from 420chan or 711chan, and they normally target camwhores, racist radio commentators, and call in TV shows (mainly internet based ones).

More than likely, this is a black bag job by Co$.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
That would violate the Church of Scientology's beliefs. The real memebers want to practice the beliefs in peace and try to make the world a better place. As do most religious people. Don't let sensationalized news pieces shape your opinion of a religion.

Hating Scientology is the new "anti-semitic" religious prejudice trend; all the cool kids are doing it. Scientologists don't do half the evil stuff people believe and quit giving them that much credit. The so called weird beliefs are from fables, story that are written to explain/teach morals. Have you read the material in the context its present in? If taken out of context communion is about drink blood for immortality. Trolls love setting them up and how they play the idiot public to believe scary "alt religion" did these bad things.

Secondly, Its a lowly troll not a hacker. Copy Pasta scripting doesn't equal a "hacker".

Maybe somebody can explain this to me, Anonymous is mad at CO$ for wanting their material off line. People rally around to take down the wiki and other pages under non-nobility and delete wars. Successfully removing the information and details about the beliefs. Which CO$'s own practices couldn't get removed. Then they attack and overload the CO$'s hosting servers causing them to crash. So Anon and CO$ seem to be working for the same goal. Keeping Scientology off-line and accessible only at their churches. What if Anonymous is really Ron Hubbard?
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Trace their ISP. ID the user. Arrest them for assault.

Knowing the way legislation has been written this decade, they can probably be arrested as terrorists.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
This isn't an isolated event - it isn't the first time the hooligans at 7chan /b/ instigated an attack on epilepsy forums. They do it periodically. I issued a press release ( http://www.pr.com/press-release/60959 ) after they attacked CWE ( http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/ ) last November.

Oh, and Tom, I have saved copies of the threads on 7chan /b/ from when the raids were being instigated.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
1) that sucks. it takes a certain kind of asshole to do something like that
2) Any proof that the Co$ is behind this, or is Anonymous a proper noun these days
3) Co$ isn't hated because of their beliefs, they're hated because they attempt to stifle free speech by intimidation and lawsuits. They require money to advance in the church, and they hold tax-exempt status while organizing their members to sway certain local elections. However, I hear that when you reach OT6 you learn telepathy, so there's that.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
It doesn't take a hacker to inlink an img src tag into a forum.

Someone was being a douchebag. Calling this a hacker attempt serves nothing but to distort the story and make it more inflammatory.

Oh no. I signed up for a forum and posted on it. I guess that makes me a hacker.

PS: I have epilepsy, but thankfully not one of those 5% who are photosensitive. I don't excuse what these people did on a forum KNOWING the consequences of their actions, and in fact, they should be severely punished... but calling it "hacking a forum" when it's really just signing up and typing img src="http://someurl.here/and.image.gif" in a post is akin to calling it grand theft when you use a penny out of the penny jar for spare change at your local 7-11.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Wow, that's pretty freaking sick. Do they not realize that that could possibly KILL someone? I hope whoever did that gets caught.. that is just absolutely sick and disgusting.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Co$ hasn't done anything that the christians haven't done first about suing to force their views. Oh my god, someone is trying to bring their religion in politics because they don't want the other religion to shape things. Same prejudice crap since the beginning of government.

Besides don't hate the religion/believers because of a few church uppers. Church elders pretty mush suck everywhere. A lot of believers try to be decent human beings by bettering themselves and others. The OT levels are like sunday school leader, assistant pastor, pastor, preacher, bishop and so forth. It takes time/studying and materials/cost to reach the positions. Do you find fault with seminary schools? Any issue with churches and colleges charging money for classes on theology and/or how to be a priest? Mock away because they use a different name/term/definition/job title.

Co$ doesn't have the resources to give out "Dianetics" to every person who walks through their door for free. If you know a member or have real interest they'll most likely loan you the materials. Why would they give away and incur the expense just so people can't get the materials to mock them? When did trolling a church become a badge of anarchy?
How many churches can you walk into and get a bible, Torah and/or the Koran for free at? Double standard. Ever hear of Freezone? the Co$ material is out that at no cost if you really want it.

I'm still wondering if the co$ was behind all the wiki's getting deleted as a great Operation "insert cool wicked nickname". The wikipedias explained their material better than they did. Ether they got what they wanted or played the lesser life forms to do their dirty work. Fighting them would be better targeted as "Operation Copypasta".
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
If you go on encyclopedia dramatica (chan&anon hangout) and search for 'epilepsy' you instantly get your screen full of blinking images.

Discusting behavior.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
hello i'm a teacher at christopher whitehead language coollege in worcester, i have epilepsy and i found this the enclopedia dramatica apologising on ebaum
http://www.ebaumsworld.com/flash/featured/.

heres my email if you want to discuss epilepsy
office@christopherwhitehead.worcs.sch.uk
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Login to comment.
Click here to access all of this post's 32 comments




Email This Post to a Friend
"Hackers "Seize-rolled" Epilepsy Sufferers in a Support Forum"

Separate multiple emails with a comma. Limit 5.

 

Success! Your email has been sent!

close window
X

This website uses cookies.

This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using this website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

I agree
 
Learn More