Hackers replace Al Qaeda bomb making instructions with cupcake recipies

[HipChick]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/operation-cupcake-mi6-replaces-al-qaeda-bomb-making-instructions-with-cupcake-recipes/2011/06/03/AGFUP2HH_blog.html


Hackers working for U.K. intelligence agency MI6 recently modified an online al-Qaeda magazine and replaced the bomb recipes inside with cake recipes. When followers went to download 67 pages of instructions for how to “Make a bomb in the Kitchen of Your Mom” from Inspire Magazine, al-Qaeda’s first English-language magazine, the terrorists were instead greeted with garbled code that was a page of recipes from the Ellen Degeneres Show’s Best Cupcakes in America. MI6 dubbed the cyberattack operation “Operation Cupcake”

The hacked pipe bomb pdf on Inspire’s site was available on Archive.org before it was replaced by the message “The item is not available due to issues with the item's content.” As for Ellen’s list, it was as innocuous as could be, telling readers to “summon memories of childhood” as they tried out recipes for Mojito, Rocky Road, and Carmel Apple cupcakes.

The only commonality between the two: The Rocky Road Cupcake recipe warned of a “sugar rush ahead!” while the lethal pipe bomb recipe called for sugar, among other ingredients. MI6 also removed articles by Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda figure­head Ayman al-Zawahiri, and a piece called “What to expect in Jihad.”

The U.S. had hoped to launch a similar cyberattack on Inspire Magazine, but was worried it would expose sources and methods.

[provis99]

1. so that's all that MI-6 is good for now? Snarkiness?

I wonder how many millions of pounds was spent on this?
:eyes:

[jbnow]

2. I liked this story. Don't think it cost much to add the cupcake recipes

after getting rid of bomb instructions and it was certainly good to get rid of those, even knowing they can find them elsewhere.

Sort of like the hippies nicely placing flowers in the barrel of a gun.
The symbolism...
a sweet offering in place of violence.

[eridani]

3. Beats the shit out of kid-killing drones

All power to the imagination! (Remember that one?)