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A recent photo of Auernheimer
Photo of Auernheimer

weev (born Andrew Alan Escher Auernheimer (pronounced AW-ren-hi-mer)[1] 1 September 1985) is the pseudonym of an American grey hat[2] hacker and self-described Internet troll[3] who has been linked to several attacks on Internet sites. He has identified himself as Escher Auernheimer to the media, although most sources correctly provide his first name as Andrew.[3][4]

Hacking

Auernheimer claimed responsibility for the disruption to Amazon's services in April 2009 when many books on gay issues were reclassified as pornography.[5][6] Amazon claimed that Auernheimer was not responsible for the incident.[7] Even before the Amazon incident, several media publications profiled Auernheimer regarding his hacking and trolling activities, notably The New York Times, in which he claimed to be a member of a hacker group called “the organization,” making $10 million annually. He also claimed to be the owner of a Rolls-Royce Phantom.[8][9][10] After the Times story on Auernheimer was published, reporters sought out Auernheimer for commentary on hacking-related stories. Gawker published a story on the Sarah Palin email hacking incident and prominently featured Auernheimer's comments in the title of the story.[11]

AT&T data breach

Auernheimer is a member of the group of computer experts known as "Goatse Security"[1] that exposed a flaw in AT&T security which allowed the e-mail addresses of iPad users to be revealed.[12] The group revealed the security flaw to Gawker Media after AT&T had been notified, as well as exposing the data of 114,000 iPad users, including those of celebrities, the government and military.[13] The actions of this group re-provoked the debate on the disclosure of security flaws.[14] Auernheimer maintains that Goatse Security used common industry standard practices and has said that, "We tried to be the good guys".[2][14] Jennifer Granick of the Electronic Frontier Foundation has also defended the tactics used by Goatse Security.[14]

The FBI then opened an investigation into the incident.[15] The FBI investigation led to a criminal complaint in January 2011.[16]

Shortly after the investigation was opened, Auernheimer's house was raided by the FBI and local police. The FBI search was related to its investigation of the AT&T security breach but Auernheimer was subsequently detained on state drug charges.[17] Police allege that, during their execution of the search warrant related to the AT&T breach, they found cocaine, ecstasy, LSD, and schedule 2 and 3 pharmaceuticals.[18] He was released on a $3,160 bail,[19] pending state trial. After his release on bail, he broke a gag order to protest what he maintained are violations of his civil rights. In particular, he disputed the legality of the search of his house and denial of access to a public defender. He also asked for donations via PayPal, to defray legal costs.[2][20]

In January 2011, all drug-related charges were dropped immediately following Auernheimer's arrest by federal authorities. The Department of Justice announced that he will be charged with one count of conspiracy to access a computer without authorization and one count of fraud.[21] Although his co-defendant, Daniel Spitler, was quickly released on bail, weev was initially denied bail due to his unemployment and lack of a family member to host him before being released on $50,000 bail in late February 2011.[1][22] weev, Federal Bureau of Prisons#10378-010, was incarcerated in the Federal Transfer Center, Oklahoma City in February 2011.[23] As of April 2011 he remains released on bail, though no charges have yet been filed.

Political views and critical reception

Auernheimer has published a number of podcasts and keeps a LiveJournal blog[8] in which he offers commentary on racial and cultural issues. His views have proved controversial, causing Philip Elmer-DeWitt to dub him "The ugliest computer hacker".[24] Others have interpreted his work as deliberately offensive humor, with Fox News calling it "offensive and witty detail"[25] and a Forbes author telling readers to "think: Shakespeare's Puck".[26] This interpretation is in dispute, with an Atlantic magazine author calling the Puck reference "oddly generous".[27]

Auernheimer has been a defender of unpopular speech, even when that speech meets strong opposition. He defended the satirical wiki Encyclopedia Dramatica in a Ninemsn interview[28] which was cited as "rather brilliant" by an article about Australian internet censorship in The Register.[29]

His actions have sometimes been described as Hacktivism. Australian media commentator Emma Jane has characterized him as a "celebrity hacktivist".[30]

Trolling

Auernheimer is a member of the "Gay Nigger Association of America",[27] a group of organized trolls who take their name from the 1992 Danish movie, Gayniggers from Outer Space.[31] Members of Goatse Security involved with the iPad hack are also members of GNAA.[16][27]

See also

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References

  1. ^ a b Voigt, Kurt (21 January 2011). "No bail for 2nd iPad e-mail address theft suspect". MSNBC.com. Associated Press. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
  2. ^ a b c AT&T iPad 'hacker' breaks gag order to rant at cops The Register, John Leyden. 7 July 2010
  3. ^ a b Mills, Elinor (10 June 2010). "Hacker defends going public with AT&T's iPad data breach (Q&A)". CNET News.
  4. ^ Hacker in AT&T-iPad Security Case Arrested CBS News, Elinor Mills. 15 June 2010
  5. ^ Thomas, Owen (13 April 2009). "Why It Makes Sense That a Hacker's Behind Amazon's Big Gay Outrage". Gawker.com. Gawker Media. Retrieved 5 February 2010. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  6. ^ Fowler, Geoffrey A. (14 April 2009). "Did "Weev" Play a Role in Amazon "Error?"". WSJ Blogs. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 5 February 2010. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  7. ^ Thomas, Owen (13 April 2009). "Amazon.com Says 'Embarrassing' Error, Not Hacker, Censored 57,310 Gay Books". Gawker.com. Gawker Media. Retrieved 5 February 2010. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  8. ^ a b Schwartz, Mattathias (3 August 2008). "The Trolls Among Us". NYTimes.com. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 5 February 2010. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  9. ^ Thomas, Owen (3 August 2008). "Journalists do it for the lulz". Gawker.com. Gawker Media. Retrieved 5 February 2010. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  10. ^ Birch, Alex (8 August 2008). "Interview: Professional Hacker and Troll Weev". Corrupt. CORRUPT.org. Retrieved 5 February 2010. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  11. ^ Moe (18 September 2008). "Hacker From That Times Story On Palin Emails: "i wish they'd done it properly"". Gawker.com. Gawker Media. Retrieved 5 February 2010. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  12. ^ FBI Opens Probe of iPad Breach Wall Street Journal, Spencer Ante and Ben Worthen. 11 June 2010
  13. ^ Mills, Elinor (9 June 2010). "AT&T Web site exposes data of 114,000 iPad users". CNET News. CNET News. Retrieved 11 July 2010. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  14. ^ a b c Worthen, Ben; Spencer E. Ante (14 June 2010). "Computer Experts Face Backlash". WSJ.com.
  15. ^ Tate, Ryan (9 June 2010). "Apple's Worst Security Breach: 114,000 iPad Owners Exposed". Gawker.com. Gawker Media. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
  16. ^ a b United States District Court - District Court of New Jersey, Docket: MAG 11-4022 (CCC). Filed with the court 13 January 2011
  17. ^ Dowell, Andrew (17 June 2010). "Programmer Detained After FBI Search". The Wall Street Journal.
  18. ^ Mills, Elinor (15 June 2010). "Hacker in AT&T-iPad security case arrested on drug charges". CNET News. CNET News. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
  19. ^ Perna, Gabriel (17 June 2010). "Arrested Hacker's Web Site Reveals Extremist Views". International Business Times. International Business Times. Retrieved 11 July 2010. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  20. ^ weev. "Hypocrites and Pharisees". Goatse.fr.
  21. ^ "Criminal charges filed against AT&T iPad attackers - Computerworld". 18 January 2011.
  22. ^ Porter, David (28 February 2011). "Suspect in iPad Data Theft Released on Bail in NJ". ABC News. Associated Press. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
  23. ^ "Andrew Allen Auernheimer." Federal Bureau of Prisons. Retrieved on 21 February 2011.
  24. ^ Elmer-DeWitt, Philip (17 June 2010). "The ugliest computer hacker". CNNMoney.com. Cable News Network. A Time Warner Company. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
  25. ^ "Hacker: I was behind Amazon Gay Book Delisting". Fox News. 14 April 2009. Retrieved 11 December 2010.
  26. ^ Buley, Talor (13 April 2009). "Amazon: Caught in the act". Forbes. Forbes magazine. Retrieved 11 December 2010.
  27. ^ a b c Chokshi, Niraj (10 June 2010). "Meet one of the hackers who exposed the iPad security leak". The Atlantic. The Atlantic Monthly Group. Retrieved 11 December 2010.
  28. ^ Paget, Henri (9 March 2010). "Interview: Encyclopedia Dramatica moderator". Ninemsn. Ninemsn, a Microsoft and PBL Media Company. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
  29. ^ Oates, John (17 March 2010). "Irate aussies go after US website". The Register. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
  30. ^ Jane, Emma (5 March 2011). "Ugly trolls set internet freedom in flames". The Australian. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  31. ^ Dean, Jodi (2010). Blog Theory: Feedback and Capture in the Circuits of Drive. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press. p. 6. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)

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