Hacker Interviews – @h0t_p0ppy, the hacktivist

Today I’ll present you  @h0t_p0ppy, a skilled online hacktivist that participated in the major hacking campaigns, including#OpWhales, #OpSeaWorld, #OpKillingBay, and #OpBeast,

Enjoy the Interview.

You are a popular talented hacker that has already participated in several hacking campaigns, could you tell me more about.

I have participated in campaigns against animal abuses. There are many ops for animals that don’t get enough attention or recognition. The first big one was #OpFunKill then #OpKillingBay which inspired me to create #OpSeaWorld, #OpKillingBay-EU and #OpWhales.

All these campaigns focus on either the slaughter or confinement of cetaceans. Few people were aware about the impact of cetacean slaughter on our environment.

As Paul Watson said “If the oceans die, we die” With these ops the public can learn about whale slaughter which is still happening today and the truth behind SeaWorld and marine prisons. Its not easy keeping all these ops up to date with relevant information. It take a lot of my spare time but if it makes a difference, it’s worth it.

Could you tell me which his your technical background and when you started hacking?

I was inspired by the anonymous movement to believe that every single person has the ability to make a change. I went from office to hacktivism. I have picked up skills, taught myself and relied on team members to teach me new skills. The team as a whole have a varied skill base from researching to dd0s and hacking. Each and everyone of us is equally important to the success of the ops.

Which are your motivations?

Simply to bring awareness to the public about the crimes against cetaceans at the hands of humans. I also want to see an end to whaling.

What was your greatest hacking challenge?

The greatest challenge isn’t hacking, it’s keeping the momentum and interest in the ops. #OpKillingBay for instance is in year 4 now and still as important as the day it launched. All our work is a team effort. Action taken for #OpWhales has brought Iceland’s commercial hunt of fin whales (an endangered animal) into the spotlight. Sites were brought down including the prime minister’s official website and that of the environment and interior ministries. This brought worldwide media attention to the plight of these whales.

Which was your latest hack? Can you describe me it?

The guys at Powerful Greek Army have been getting involved with ops hitting SeaWorld with a huge dd0s attack in the last few days. Also a few other Animal Rights Hacktivists have had a few whale meat sellers sites de-hosted. (Many thanks to all)

What are the 4 tools that cannot be missed in the hacker’s arsenal and why?

A range of vulnerability scanners, patience, determination and most importantly a trust worthy team.

Which are the most interesting hacking communities on the web today, why?

The guys at Anon Rising are doing a great job building up an IRC and support Base for anons and Ops.

How do you choose your targets?

Targets are connected to the whaling industry ~ the sale and transport of whale meat and governments that approve whaling. Also any company connected with the trade in dolphins and their incarceration.

We often hear about cyber weapons and cyber attacks against critical infrastructure. Do you believe it is real the risk of a major and lethal cyber attack against a critical infrastructure? 

Yes,  it is just a matter of time.

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Pierluigi Paganini

(Security Affairs –  Hacker, @h0t_p0ppy)