Brazil websites suffer third hacking in three days

SAO PAULO—Internet hackers invaded Brazil’s Institute of Geography and Statistics on Friday, the third straight day Brazilian government websites had been attacked.

Early Friday morning, the home page of the Institute had been changed to read: “Hacked IBGE,” accompanied by a picture of an eye in the colors of the Brazilian flag, local media reported.

In the adjoining text, the hacker group called “Fail Shell” said it would launch this month the largest number of virtual attacks ever as a protest from a “nationalist group that wants to make Brazil a better country.”

An institute spokesman said the hacking only affected the home portal, and that the site’s data base was still available to users.

On Wednesday and Thursday, two other hacking groups, Lulz Security and Anonymous, attacked two official government websites.

“TANGO DOWN www.brasil.gov.br and www.presidencia.gov.br,” said one posting, followed by another saying: “Our Brazilian unit is making progress. Well done @LulzSecBrazil, brothers!”

Lulz Security has claimed responsibility for a month-long rampage on targets around the world including website of the CIA, US Senate, Sony and others.

British police working with the FBI announced Tuesday they had arrested a 19-year-old man over the Lulz attacks, but the group has downplayed the arrest.

According to experts at Brazil’s Data Processing Service, the first Brazil attack was not intended to invade government networks, but to simultaneously send millions of requests for access to the service that would clog the system and bring it down.