Hackers attempt to break the internet, fail miserably

Alright folks, you should all be well aware by now that the internet ain't nothin' to mess with, but apparently a few folks in the South Korea area have just learned that the hard way. In what is being called the most severe attack on the web since the barrage of 2002, the same 13 "root servers" were targeted within the past 24 hours in a presumed attempt to disrupt global network traffic. Hackers were able to "briefly overwhelm" three of the 13 computers managing virtual thoroughfare with a series of "powerful attacks lasting as long as 12 hours," and while even the Homeland Security Department confirmed that it had witnessed "anomalous" internet traffic, most of the digital world hummed along without a care. Motives for the attack still aren't clear, but initial reports are suggesting that extortion of data or other malicious intent is probably unlikely, and what's more probable is a few folks trying to disguise data coming from South Korea were just having a bit of frowned-upon fun. Now, who else in the world thinks they can single handedly dismantle the internet?

[Nobuyuki Idei @ Feb 7th 2007 12:22PM]

Previous attempts were just even more miserable.

[Crushed @ Feb 7th 2007 10:54AM]

Looks like someone's trying to corrupt the Internet... (corrupttheinternet.ytmnd.com)

[Shawn @ Feb 7th 2007 10:55AM]

Hack the planet, indeed.

[2Perfect @ Feb 7th 2007 8:07PM]

so true. these guys were probably doing it just for fun though, not to brag about it.

"Now, who else in the world thinks they can single handedly dismantle the internet?"
Right here sir.

[akintz @ Feb 7th 2007 10:56AM]

See... we all knew the boss at the end of the internet was hard... these guys just proved it.

[jigzat @ Feb 7th 2007 11:10AM]

Hackers? hmmmm you mean Crackers, right? or at least lamers?

[LuckyChowmeinDude @ Feb 7th 2007 11:13AM]

You have to be Level 50 Million to be able to destroy the Intranet Boss.

Microsoft might have a chance...

[tgernon @ Feb 7th 2007 11:19AM]

if you take down the internet...


how are you gonna brag to the rest of the lamers?

[Chris @ Feb 7th 2007 11:27AM]

Thank you Al Gore!

[Sam @ Feb 7th 2007 11:38AM]

I was wondering why my torrents were slow... :)

[Yubal @ Feb 7th 2007 9:02PM]

sooo true!! me too! :)

[KeMiCaL @ Feb 7th 2007 11:42AM]

Hack Da Planet!!!Hack Da Planet!!!..lol , to many hours of HACKERS 1 & 2 the movie! ,,

[Austin @ Feb 7th 2007 12:10PM]

hackers 2 ???

[Chris @ Feb 7th 2007 1:22PM]

A less accusational version of the intro:

"...a few folks in control of a bot-net with a significant presence in the South Korea area have just learned that the hard way."

[NHAnimator @ Feb 7th 2007 11:58AM]

all your base are belong to us

[Paolo @ Feb 7th 2007 1:17PM]

Perhaps they believe by succeeding in bringing the Net down, safeguards will be put in place to prevent a repeat offense, thereby strengthening security.

At least, that's my hope, because the alternative that they were just looking for a thrill is just too idiotic.

[BigAl @ Feb 7th 2007 12:06PM]

Why is this Ad for absolut vodka a news story and not flagged as a promo?

[Brian @ Feb 7th 2007 12:12PM]

This appears to be an ad for Absolut Vodka - notice the shape of the "TROJANHORSE" lines. Punk'd? Hoax'd?

[Brian @ Feb 7th 2007 12:37PM]

Never mind - photo appears to be unrelated

[EDawg @ Feb 7th 2007 12:29PM]

If Aqua Teen Hunger Force & the Cartoon network has taught us anything, it is that Absolut is going to be in BIIIIIG trouble if this is their idea of viral marketing. I can't really imagine a corporation being so stupid as to pull something like this though--- even though it DOES look like an absolut ad, doesn't it?

[mastershake @ Feb 7th 2007 12:58PM]

No one can stop the W W W WIZARD!

[NateDogg @ Feb 7th 2007 1:41PM]

Uh, I think you've been had, Engadget.

Take a look at the word in the first line (after telnet) and then step back two paces and look at the shape the characters make. Here's a hint: this looks more like an absolut[no e] genius of a marketing scheme than an attempted hack.

[PDubNYC @ Feb 7th 2007 3:22PM]

NateDogg, your short bus is here. Put on your helmet and bib.


err, photo unrelated, as if this should have to be said.

[Chris Epler @ Feb 7th 2007 2:41PM]

"Hackers were able to "briefly overwhelm" three of the 13 computers managing virtual thoroughfare with a series of "powerful attacks lasting as long as 12 hours"

Ok, I'm getting mighty pissed at how ignorant the media is handling this story making the root NAME SERVERS sound like giant internet routers that pass traffic to the world. We're talking about NAME SERVERS. If you want to dumb down things then call them "the Yellow Pages of the Internet". Don't make them sound like routers, please.

*GRUMBLE*

Repeat after me:

:BEGIN
The web is NOT the Internet.
Name servers resolve names to IP addresses, they are not routers.
Goto BEGIN

[John Doe @ Feb 7th 2007 4:53PM]

*Gasp*
you're using gotos?
NO SPAGHETTI CODE!!!

[world peace @ Feb 7th 2007 2:12PM]

To take down the internets, you just have to cut the tubes with a pair of scissors.

[eoin @ Feb 7th 2007 5:41PM]

"To take down the internets, you just have to cut the tubes with a pair of scissors."

LOOOOOOL brilliant

[wtf @ Feb 7th 2007 2:23PM]

UltraDNS deserves everything they get. They're probably the most obnoxious company on the Internet.

[CIA @ Feb 7th 2007 2:48PM]

Latest reports have it that the supposed "attack" was actually perpetrated tbyNorth Korean spies sent covertly to Seoul to secretly download the latest Vista drivers and upgrades so that Kim Jong-Il could play Burning Crusade on his dual-SLI 8800GTX board.

[bmckim @ Feb 7th 2007 3:37PM]

are you people really that dumb, the photo obviously isn't the actual attack.

[zounds Padang @ Feb 7th 2007 6:59PM]

has anyone checked the IP addie that is being telnet'd? that is a NASA address... actually the office of the chief information officer. I think it's pretty funny.

[Magickam @ Feb 7th 2007 5:23PM]

Why would hackers do this, isn't the internet something like their god?

[Paco @ Feb 7th 2007 6:52PM]

No take down the internts. The pr0n must flow!

[Steve @ Feb 8th 2007 12:44AM]

These idiots clearly don't understand the internet at all and went through a lot of bother, no doubt, for nothing. Anybody with an IQ higher than, ohhh lets say water, knows that all one needs to bring the internet to a screeching halt is a good pipe wrench with which to dismatle this wonderous series of tubes. I mean Christ, it's not a big truck you know. Big scientists told me so.

[bobdole @ Feb 8th 2007 1:36AM]

in the screenshot, the line "sudo -sP TROJANHORSE#D2C" wouldn't work because TROJANHORSE#D2C isn't set as executable.

clearly a hoax.

[Fastsrt4 @ Feb 9th 2007 10:51AM]

if anyone believes that picture is the actual picture from the attack... Repeat this after me!

"I. R. DUMB."

[Daniel @ May 17th 2007 12:35PM]

I still think it was the Greys !!!