HBGary Federal CEO Aaron Barr Steps Down 212
Gunkerty Jeb writes "Embattled CEO Aaron Barr says he is stepping down from his post at HBGary Federal to allow the company to move on after members of the online mischief making group Anonymous hacked into HBGary Federal's computer network and published tens of thousands of company e-mail messages on the Internet. In an interview with Threatpost, Barr said that he is stepping down to allow himself and the company he ran to move on in the wake of the high profile hack."
Re:He wasn't fired? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:He wasn't fired? (Score:4, Insightful)
"Stepping down" is basically the corporate-speak equivalent of seppuku. They get rid of his disgraced ass and in return, he gets to pretend he still has some dignity.
Re:The moral of the story (Score:5, Insightful)
I learned this years ago: Don't get into an online pissing contest. Just don't. Both sides inevitably lose.
Hard to see how the Anon side lost here. Their prestige is up, their deadly rep is more solid than ever, and still nobody knows who they are IRL. So maybe the lesson should be, "don't get into an online pissing contest, unless you really are the most badass hacker gang in history."
Revisionist history anyone? (Score:5, Insightful)
From the argh-tickle.
"By combining a SQL injection attack on HBGary's Web site with sophisticated social engineering attacks"
Uhm. WHAT?
Sophisticated? I wouldn't call a couple of e-mails from a hijacked account asking to back-door a server "sophisticated".
What the HBGary hack was:
Basic SQL Injection
Weak passwords
Password Re-use
SIMPLE social engineering
Your basic molotov cocktail of fail.
Re:The moral of the story (Score:5, Insightful)
From TFA (Score:5, Insightful)
>Leavy said that the company's partners had been supportive following the hack. The proposals for Bank of America and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce were simply responses to requests for services that HBGary had received. "HBGary Federal is a services company and they were asked to develop proposals," she told Threatpost.
I see. That fact that the "services" are illegal, immoral, and unethical really doesn't enter in, because they're a service company and this is a service. Sort of like a hit man is just an HR professional specializing in staff reduction services.
Re:The moral of the story (Score:4, Insightful)
All that will happen is that HBGary's competitors will update their marketing material. "Don't pull an HBGary. Use XYZ Security instead."
Re:owned (Score:5, Insightful)
Fully armed and operational, except for the bit that actually aims the weapons. Anonymous might demolish a genuine bad guy, or they might destroy the life of some innocent teenager. Being what it is, Anonymous has only a small chance of evolving into real hacktivism and away from it's "for the lulz" roots. That makes it even more dangerous than most vengeful vigilante groups. I mean, "That teenage girl is a camwhore!" is as much of a motivating battle-cry to Anonymous as "That guy is subverting the law to attack wikileaks." Needless to say, I'm happy this creep got his comeuppance. But I would much rather his downfall were accomplished through the rule of law and not vigilante justice. Still, when real justice is hopelessly corrupt, what else is there?
Re:owned (Score:4, Insightful)
Oh do they now? Classy. Hope you're the next one in the gunsights, dude. You need the perspective.
Ah, nice logic (Score:5, Insightful)
So basically, I shouldn't use any freedoms because that might give fuel to someone wishing to limit them?
So gay people, don't be gay or people might forbid it.
A spine, you need one. Or afraid if you get one, people will forbid it?