february australian february australian series denial service attacks conducted anonymous online community australian government response proposed web censorship regulations given attacks perpetrators resulted access government websites february accompanied phone calls government offices actual size attack number perpetrators involved unknown estimated number systems involved ranged hundreds thousands traffic caused disruption multiple government websites australian telecommunications minister proposed regulations mainly filter sites pornographic content groups advocating access internet companies like google yahoo object proposed filter spokesperson said actions legitimate form protest called irresponsible attacks drew criticism filter protest groups initial stage followed small person protests february called project background attack began protest responding plan australian telecommunications minister require internet service providers block australian users illegal government deemed unwanted content websites blocked feature pornography showing rape child sex abuse small women appear legal age female drawn depictions acts included proposal proposed filter includes gambling sites showing drug use leaked version proposed referred refused classification list showed sites include adult content operation reference material censored google questioned proposal saying broad strongly opposed free speech groups poll conducted television program found respondents favour concept plan survey found concerned government intent list filtered websites secret discovered attack coming february statement released anonymous press days attack said government right refuse citizens access information solely perceive unwanted went read australian government learn mess porn access perfectly legal illegal content reason anonymous previously garnered media attention protests project iranian government september prime minister website similar protest proposed web censorship reforms attacks distributed recruit participants said attack begin february day government websites targeted denial service attacks said government security instead government computer sites left unavailable sporadic periods attack point australian parliament website days high volume requests government site inaccessible time primary target received large traffic government offices flooded mail prank phone calls prime minister pornographic images released attack called focus cartoon pornography female small pornography reports actual size attack varied security expert described attacks equivalent parking truck shopping centre firm marketing security technology said peak attack relatively low second writer described million requests second initially brought parliament website massive site usually receives second appears compromised computers estimates number attacking systems involved ranged hundreds thousands response said attacks legitimate political protest according totally irresponsible potentially deny services australian public said condemned attacks wrong way express disagreement proposed law anti censorship groups criticised attacks saying hurt cause purported spokesperson attackers recommended wider australian public protest filter signing petition anonymous coordinated second phase small protests outside canberra major cities australia february additional demonstrations held country overseas organizers called follow protests project differentiate criticised attacks supporters attack later said taking websites convince government web policy called violence disagreed actions proposed launching additional attack popular government site spokesman said believed real intention capacity follow violent threats attack resulted criticism australia terrorism laws writer wrote provisions leave place legitimate acts online protest sets penalty far high relatively minor vandalism australian teenager charged counts electronic communications access restricted data role attack ordered pay bond instead convicted pleading guilty showing good behaviour july delayed implementing plan pending month review refused classification content rated proposal expected forward opposition coalition internet service providers agreed voluntarily block content
February 2010 Australian cyberattacks