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more recent photo of Auernheimer
photo of Auernheimer

weev (born Andrew Alan Escher Auernheimer 1 September 1985) is the pseudonym of an American grey hat[1] hacker and self-described Internet troll[2] who has been linked to several attacks on Internet sites. He has identified himself as Escher Auernheimer to the media, although most sources correctly provide his first name as Andrew.[2][3]

Hacking

Auernheimer claimed responsibility for the disruption to Amazon's services in April 2009 when many books on gay issues were reclassified as pornography.[4][5] Amazon claimed that Auernheimer was not responsible for the incident.[6] Even before the Amazon incident, several media publications profiled Auernheimer regarding his hacking and trolling activities, notably The New York Times, In which he claimed to be a member of a black hat hacker group called “the organization,” making $10 million annually. He also claimed to be the owner of a Rolls-Royce Phantom.[7][8][9] After the Times story on Auernheimer was published, reporters sought out Auernheimer for commentary on hacking-related stories. Gawker published a story on the Sarah Palin email hacking incident and prominently featured Auernheimer's comments in the title of the story.[10]

AT&T data breach and felony drug charges

The Wall Street Journal has reported that Auernheimer is a member of the group of computer experts known as "Goatse Security"[1] that exposed a flaw in AT&T security which allowed the e-mail addresses of iPad users to be revealed.[11] The group revealed the security flaw to Gawker Media after AT&T had been notified, as well as exposing the data of 114,000 iPad users, including those of celebrities, the government and military.[12] The actions of this group re-provoked the debate on the disclosure of security flaws.[13] Auernheimer maintains that Goatse Security used common industry standard practices.[1] Since then, the FBI has opened an investigation into the incident.[14]

Shortly after the investigation was opened, Auernheimer's house was raided by the FBI and local police. The FBI search was related to its investigation of the AT&T security breach but Auernheimer was detained because of state drug charges.[15] The drugs included cocaine, ecstasy, LSD, and schedule 2 and 3 pharmaceuticals.[16] He has since been arrested on drug possession charges, and released on a $3,160 bail,[17] with his trial pending. After his release on bail, he broke a gag order to protest what he maintains are violations of his civil rights. In particular, he has disputed the legality of the search of his house and denial of access to a public defender. He also asked readers to PayPal cash to his account to help pay for an attorney.[2] [1]

Weev is a member of the "Gay Nigger Association of America"[18], a group of organized trolls who take their name from the 1992 Danish movie, Gayniggers from Outer Space[19]. Members of Goatse Security involved with the iPad hack are also members of GNAA[20].

Antisemitism

On June 16, 2009 Auernheimer, who claims to be of Jewish descent[21] was detained and questioned by members of the FBI and the Portland Police after an unnamed third party made threatening telephone calls to Congregation Beth Israel. Previously Auernheimer posted a video to blip.tv[3] in which he said, “I’ve got to skip town. There are some big Jews that want to hand me a summons. On the 16th I am taking a pilgrimage northward to Portland.” Auernheimer reportedly was warned not to go near any Jewish congregation or agency.[22]

Auernheimer has published a number of podcasts and keeps a LiveJournal blog[7] in which he offers commentary on racial and cultural issues. His views have proved controversial, causing Fortune Tech to dub him "The ugliest computer hacker".[23]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c AT&T iPad 'hacker' breaks gag order to rant at cops The Register, John Leyden. July 7, 2010
  2. ^ a b Mills, Elinor (June 10, 2010). "Hacker defends going public with AT&T's iPad data breach (Q&A)". CNET News.
  3. ^ Hacker in AT&T-iPad Security Case Arrested CBS News, Elinor Mills. June 15, 2010
  4. ^ Thomas, Owen (April 13, 2009). "Why It Makes Sense That a Hacker's Behind Amazon's Big Gay Outrage". Gawker.com. Gawker Media. Retrieved February 5, 2010. {{cite news}}: Check |authorlink= value (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); External link in |authorlink= (help)
  5. ^ Fowler, Geoffrey A. (April 14, 2009). "Did "Weev" Play a Role in Amazon "Error?"". WSJ Blogs. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved February 5, 2010. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  6. ^ Thomas, Owen (April 13, 2009). "Amazon.com Says 'Embarrassing' Error, Not Hacker, Censored 57,310 Gay Books". Gawker.com. Gawker Media. Retrieved February 5, 2010. {{cite news}}: Check |authorlink= value (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); External link in |authorlink= (help)
  7. ^ a b Schwartz, Mattathias (August 3, 2008). "The Trolls Among Us". NYTimes.com. The New York Times Company. Retrieved February 5, 2010. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  8. ^ Thomas, Owen (August 3, 2008). "Journalists do it for the lulz". Gawker.com. Gawker Media. Retrieved February 5, 2010. {{cite news}}: Check |authorlink= value (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); External link in |authorlink= (help)
  9. ^ Birch, Alex (August 8, 2008). "Interview: Professional Hacker and Troll Weev". Corrupt. CORRUPT.org. Retrieved February 5, 2010. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  10. ^ Moe (September 18, 2008). "Hacker From That Times Story On Palin Emails: "i wish they'd done it properly"". Gawker.com. Gawker Media. Retrieved February 5, 2010. {{cite news}}: Check |authorlink= value (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); External link in |authorlink= (help)
  11. ^ FBI Opens Probe of iPad Breach Wall Street Journal, Spencer Ante and Ben Worthen. June 11, 2010
  12. ^ Mills, Elinor (June 9, 2010). "AT&T Web site exposes data of 114,000 iPad users". CNET News. CNET News. Retrieved July 11, 2010. {{cite news}}: Check |authorlink= value (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); External link in |authorlink= (help)
  13. ^ Worthen, Ben; Spencer E. Ante (June 14, 2010). "Computer Experts Face Backlash". WSJ.com.
  14. ^ Tate, Ryan (June 9, 2010). "Apple's Worst Security Breach: 114,000 iPad Owners Exposed". Gawker.com. Gawker Media. Retrieved June 13, 2010. {{cite news}}: Check |authorlink= value (help); External link in |authorlink= (help)
  15. ^ Dowell, Andrew (June 17, 2010). "Programmer Detained After FBI Search". The Wall Street Journal.
  16. ^ Mills, Elinor (June 15, 2010). "Hacker in AT&T-iPad security case arrested on drug charges". CNET News. CNET News. Retrieved July 11, 2010. {{cite news}}: Check |authorlink= value (help); External link in |authorlink= (help)
  17. ^ Perna, Gabriel (June 17, 2010). "Arrested Hacker's Web Site Reveals Extremist Views". International Business Times. International Business Times. Retrieved July 11, 2010. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  18. ^ Chokshi, Jiraj (2010-06-10). "Meet One of the Hackers Who Exposed the iPad Security Leak". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2010-07-27.
  19. ^ Dean, Jodi (2010). Blog Theory: Feedback and Capture in the Circuits of Drive. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press. p. 6. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  20. ^ http://g1.globo.com/tecnologia/noticia/2010/06/entenda-como-foi-falha-que-expos-e-mails-de-114-mil-usuarios-do-ipad.html
  21. ^ "Take a look at my last name, “Auernheimer”. Think about the likely origins of this name for a second. Even a quick Google reveals its origins."
  22. ^ "Police question two men about threats to Jewish community". jewishreview.com. Jewish Review. Retrieved July 11, 2010.
  23. ^ Elmer-DeWitt, Philip (June 17, 2010). "The ugliest computer hacker". CNNMoney.com. Cable News Network. A Time Warner Company. Retrieved June 18, 2010. {{cite news}}: Check |authorlink= value (help); External link in |authorlink= (help)
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