Mustafa Al-Bassam, the co-founder and CEO of Celestia, recently revealed details about his past as a hacker. He started hacking as a teenager with the group LulzSec and participated in cyberattacks, including a DDoS attack on the CIA website.
Hacking Live on Radio Show
Al-Bassam’s favorite hack was targeting the Westboro Baptist Church, which they hacked on a live radio show. This hack involved exploiting a vulnerability in a PHP CMS.
Al-Bassam shared a video of the radio show from 13 years ago, where he confronted Shirley Phelps-Roper from the Westboro Baptist Church. The Church mistakenly believed Al-Bassam’s group was responsible for threatening letters and website closures, but Al-Bassam clarified that it was another hacker known as Jester. Phelps-Roper taunted Al-Bassam during the radio show, leading him to breach the Church’s website and publish a release.
A Hacker’s Guide to Cybersecurity
LulzSec targeted various organizations, including the CIA, U.K. Serious Organised Crime Agency, Fox, and Sony. Al-Bassam faced legal consequences at 18 years old and received a suspended sentence and community work requirements.
In an interview with The Daily Mail in 2016, Al-Bassam argued that hacking ethics are not simply black or white. He also criticized the security practices of UK banks and expressed concerns about flaws in the credit/debit card system.
Hot Take: Mustafa Al-Bassam’s Journey from Hacker to Entrepreneur
Mustafa Al-Bassam’s revelations about his hacking past shed light on the complex and nuanced nature of hacking. While he engaged in cyberattacks as a member of LulzSec, Al-Bassam challenges the simplistic black-and-white view of hacking ethics. He also highlights security vulnerabilities in major organizations and raises concerns about the flaws in the financial system. Al-Bassam’s journey from hacker to entrepreneur demonstrates the potential for individuals with hacking skills to contribute positively to the cybersecurity industry.
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