WASHINGTON — Earlier this week, an anonymous hackers鈥� group said it would declare war on ISIS, the extremist group said to be responsible for last week鈥檚 attack in Paris. It鈥檚 an unconventional move that could work, given the hackers鈥� broad reach and expertise, experts say.
And while ISIS is being hunted by U.S. and international authorities, the hacker group 鈥渕ay also accomplish something,鈥� cybersecurity adviser David Gewirtz told 小萝莉影视 on Wednesday.
The anonymous group consists of several people with varied skills, who are 鈥渢aking that fight out into the field regardless of whether governments are supporting it or not,鈥� Gewirtz said. 鈥淭hey may have an impact on people who have already become our enemies.鈥�
Also this week, Gewirtz told CBS 小萝莉影视 that the cyberattacks can work.
鈥淢ore to the point, they can go after both the money that terrorists have and their funding sources. Damaging the money flow can certainly have an impact on the terrorists鈥� operations.鈥�
Anonymous said it would 鈥渦nleash waves of attacks鈥� on ISIS. On YouTube, a masked activist told the Islamic State that 鈥渨ar is declared.鈥�
鈥淕et prepared,鈥� the person said. 鈥淎nonymous from all over the world will hunt you down.鈥�
ISIS uses technology to recruit members. The group even has a help desk for members who need help with their computers. So far, Gewirtz said, Anonymous has knocked out more than 3,800 pro-ISIS Twitter accounts, which the group uses to recruit new members and disseminate propaganda.
So far, Anonymous has attacked the websites of companies and government agencies that disrupt flows of information.
鈥淚f this vigilante group can impact that, even though they鈥檙e doing things that are kind of illegal, you have to cheer for them at the same time,” Gewirtz said.
