AMHERST, N.Y. (WIVB) – Hackers are targeting computer printer networks on college campuses–and the University at Buffalo was on the hit list.
An Anti-Semitic network of computer hackers is taking credit for a series of cyberattacks, remotely hijacking computer printers, spewing out hateful flyers promoting a network of hackers called The Daily Stormer.
One of those flyers turned up on a computer printer in Park Hall on the University at Buffalo’s North Campus. The printer is used by the Psychology Department on the second floor, where data analyst Seth Frndak and his co-workers discovered the racist publication as they were reporting to work.
“We found the flyer on the printer. We were shocked, we could not believe it was there. That was a horrible and disgusting thing to see.”
University at Buffalo officials confirmed multiple printers were hacked, and measures are being taken to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
But UB is not the only campus to be hacked this way. The University of Maryland was the target of a recent cyberattack, which also seized control of printers, spewing out the same Anti-Semitic message.
A member of the network, Andrew Auernheimer is taking credit for the hacks. He summed up his motivation in a YouTube video, “I feel like America is in a cultural decline.”
In addition to Maryland, officials have identified similar attacks at the University of Southern California, University of Wisconsin, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Brown University, and Princeton University.
UB issued a statement condemning the cyberattack saying in part, “racist and discriminatory behaviors or conduct have no place at the University at Buffalo, and will not be tolerated.”
“Diversity, inclusion and mutual respect are strongly held values of our university. We are committed to upholding these values at all times.”
Frndak said, he and his co-workers were actually relieved to find out they were not targets of the hateful attack, “We knew that it wasn’t just something internal, that it was a wide hacking thing.”
While UB was just the latest target, Auerheimer was part of a group that launched a cyberattack on AT&T servers in 2010. He was initially convicted on charges of fraud and conspiracy, but the conviction was later overturned on appeal.