A group of gay furry hackers known as SiegedSec breached a conservative think tank’s data, exposing their information and leading to a heated exchange between SiegedSec and the Executive Director of the Heritage Oversight Project.
The Conservative Think Tanks
The Heritage Foundation is a conservative think tank known for its influence on Republican policies and government restructuring efforts, especially during the Reagan administration, where it provided a blueprint for economic and military strategies.
Initial Breach
The Heritage Foundation experienced a data breach by the hacker group SiegedSec, who accessed information through their media arm, the Daily Signal.
Who Is SiegedSec
SiegedSec is a small, tight-knit group of furry hackers known for their hacktivist activities, which target organizations they perceive as oppressive or harmful.
Previous Operations
SiegedSec has leaked stolen data and defaced the websites of various commercial and government entities, including NATO, religious groups, and domestic government agencies in the U.S. and South America.
Motivations and Activities
The group is seemingly motivated by a combination of ideological opposition and their joy in causing disruption, targeting entities involved in controversial policies, such as state-level bans on abortion and gender-affirming care.
For Fun and Lulz
Their leader, YourAnonWolf, has described their actions as being driven by “fun” or “lulz,” highlighting their blend of serious activism and online mischief.
Defacing the Resources
When highlighting their operations, YourAnonWolf wrote, “SiegedSecs missions thus far have involved leaking stolen data and defacing the resources of its targets.”
The Leaked Data
Fortunately for the Heritage Foundation, the breach of their system did not involve sensitive data from the Heritage Foundation’s primary systems but included usernames, names, email addresses, and IP addresses of commenters.
Hacker Group’s Motivation
According to members of SiegedSec, they targeted the Heritage Foundation to highlight opposition to the organization’s Project 2025 initiative and its policies on social issues.
Overview of Project 2025
Project 2025 is a 900-page blueprint developed by the Heritage Foundation and other conservative allies for Donald Trump if he wins the presidency in this upcoming election.
Exposing Supporters
After the hack, SeigedSec claimed their actions aimed to expose the supporters of the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 rather than seeking monetary gain or fame.
Mike Howell’s Response
Mike Howell, the Executive Director of the Heritage Oversight Project, responded aggressively to the hackers, threatening to out them and referring to them as “degenerate perverts.”
Presented to the World
“Closeted Furries will be presented to the world for the degenerate perverts they are,” Howell said in his response to SiegedSec’s attack.
SiegedSec’s Retort
SiegedSec’s member known as “vio” retorted that the Heritage Foundation violated more rights than the hackers and criticized Howell for using religion to justify hatred.
Violating Rights
Vio wrote, “The Heritage Foundation has violated more rights than we ever could. We will continue to fight for our rights, no matter how much you threaten us.”
Built on Hate
Vio went on to say, “none of our members will be identified or outed by your organization built on hatred. the only ones deserving of a destroyed life are those within your organization.”
Howell’s Continued Attacks
Howell continued his verbal attacks, urging the hackers to leave their lifestyle behind and accusing them of hiding behind their furries personas to commit crimes.
Howell’s Tweet
Howell posted on X, “Get out of mommy’s basement, iron your shirt, buy a girl a drink, and ask her out instead of googling new deviances for you to fixate on.”
Leaving Cybercrime Behind
Following the breach and subsequent backlash, SiegedSec announced its disbandment to avoid FBI attention and to leave cybercrime behind for their own well-being.
SiegedSec Disbandment
Vio wrote on Telegram, “i’ve been considering quitting cybercrime lately, and the other members have agreed its time to let SiegedSec rest for good.”
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