Vandalism on online epilepsy forum triggers convulsions

Wednesday, April 2, 2008 

An internet forum, run by the non-profit Epilepsy Foundation, was attacked last week by a group of hackers. The attack, first reported by Wired News, exploited a function of the forums to post JavaScript code. The code injected by the hackers flashed two images repeatedly and tried to lead users off to external websites showing flashing lights and shapes intended to trigger off epileptic fits. The Epilepsy Foundation had to shut down the forum, and took some measures to prevent future attacks.

In a press release, the Foundation stated that several users of the forum, sufferers of epilepsy, experienced harsh migraines and seizures as a result of the attack. One lady, RyAnne Fultz, was paralyzed by the flashing images in what she calls her worst attack in over a year, until her 11-year old son managed to get her to stop looking at the screen and close the flashing images.

They also posted a message regarding new measures saying "In our upping of security on the forums, we have established the following new rules: No animated images are allowed to be used anywhere from now on. No GIFs are allowed at all anymore as well. No rich text is allowed in the body of messages at all, either."

Wired News additionally reports that there is "circumstantial evidence" linking the perpetrators of the attack to the internet group "Anonymous", who are most well known for their recent protests and attacks against the Church of Scientology, and their members created a reputation as "griefers" in the virtual worlds Second Life, and Habbo Hotel. The Austrian paper Krone reports that the "usual goal of their attacks is to raise a fuss or disturb others". This link is also widely supported on many other sources. Following critical reports about the attack, members of the group blamed the attack on the Church of Scientology.

Wired News states that the attack on the forum may have been the first computer attack in history to inflict physical harm on its victims.

Between three and five per cent of all epilepsy sufferers are vulnerable to seizures triggered by flashing lights, shapes or colours, like ones used in the attack. Photosensitive epilepsy has been in the news increasingly over the last few years because it has triggered seizures in people in newsworthy ways, including recently when a logo animation for the 2012 Olympics in Britain caused thousands of people to experience seizures and, previously, when an episode of an animated TV series caused thousands of children to experience seizures in Japan.

Related news

• ""Anonymous" releases statements outlining "War on Scientology"" — Wikinews, January 23, 2008
• "Hackers attack Church of Scientology website" — Wikinews, January 20, 2008

Sources

• "Hackers Assault Epilepsy Patients via Computer" — Wired Magazine, March 28, 2008
• "Epilepsy Foundation Takes Action Against Hackers" — Epilepsy Foundation, Press release, March 31, 2008
• "Anonymous attack targets epilepsy sufferers" — News.com.au, April 1, 2008
• "Targeted physical attack takes aim at Epilepsy" — The Tech Herald, April 1, 2008
• "Epileptics attacked in online prank" — Live News, April 1, 2008
• "Des hackers déclenchent des crises d’épilepsie" — The Inquirer, France, April 1, 2008 (French)
• "Sick hackers start seizures" — The Inquirer, March 31, 2008
• "Hackers cause migraines and seizures" — PC PRO, March 31, 2008
• "Hackers Assault Epilepsy Patients Via Computer" — DailyTech, March 31, 2008
• "Hacker sorgen für epileptische Anfälle" — OÖNachrichten, Austria, March 31, 2008
• "Gemeiner Streich auf Epileptiker-Site" — 20minuten, Switzerland, March 31, 2008
• "Erster Angriff durch Website auf die Gesundheit von Menschen" — ITK Journal, Germany, March 31, 2008
• "Website der "Epilepsy Foundation" gehackt" — Krone, Austria, March 31, 2008