A group of hackers infiltrated the US Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) website, publishing a story claiming that rappers Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls were alive in New Zealand.
The group, known as LulzSec, hacked the the site and gained access to credentials held in the database. They then published a story on The RunDown on the PBS website, claiming the two deceased rappers were actually alive.
“Prominent rapper Tupac has been found alive and well in a small resort in New Zealand, locals report,” read the fake story, according to SC Magazine.
“The small town – unnamed due to security risks – allegedly housed Tupac and Biggie Smalls (another rapper) for several years. One local, David File, recently passed away, leaving evidence and reports of Tupac’s visit in a diary, which he requested be shipped to his family in the United States.”
The story has since been removed.
Along with posting this story, the group posted hundreds of PBS usernames and passwords online, including a list of staff and administrative credentials for all PBS networks, a network map including DNS and a SQL database.
LulzSec also placed a defacement page on the PBS website, which features the “Nyan Cat” meme:
The group, whose members say they are not affiliated with Anonymous, said they hacked PBS for their recent Frontline episode on WikiLeaks called ‘Wikisecrets,’ saying they were “less than impressed” with it. Reports online suggest that WikiLeaks supporters’ reactions to this episode were generally negative.
It previously attacked the Fox Network, stealing email addresses, usernames and passwords, and published details of 250,000 applicants to the US X Factor. The group says it hacks for entertainment as opposed to hacking for financial gain.
