Hacktivism gone wrong?

Netizens criticise Anonymous-related hack targeting South African police.

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Photo via South African Broadcasting Corporation website.

The personal information of thousands of South Africans was exposed Friday after hacker @DomainerAnon breached the website of the country’s national police agency, the South African Police Service (SAPS). Nearly 16,000 whistleblowers who used the SAPS website to report crimes and file complaints have had their names, emails and telephone numbers publicly posted on a separate website.

View the story "Hacktivism gone wrong?" on StorifyHacktivism gone wrong?Netizens criticise Anonymous-related hack targeting South African police.Storified by The Stream· Wed, May 22 2013 14:54:06

The hacker, who affiliates himself with Anonymous, seems to view the breach as retribution for the Marikana miners incident, where 34 protesting miners were shot dead by police:

Message to SAP - Shooting of 34 protesting miners outside Marikana platinum mine. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10016471/South-Africa-the-... We Have NOT forgotton #EXPECTUS Domainer V2A message to SAP: You are responsible for the data you hold.... we have merely shown that you do not live up to your own Code of Conduct! Domainer V2 Many have criticised the hack as counterproductive:Was the hack by @DomainerAnon more harmful to SAPS or more harmful to innocent citizens trying to report crime? #hactivism failAndy Beak@domaineranon You may think you've done good. But you've screwed over many whistleblowers doing good with our cops. @YourAnonNews #marikanaLloyd Avontuur@DomainerAnon Why so long after Marikana? And why not target the commission of inquiry? FYI: miners likely dont have access to the internetGreg In response to criticism, @DomainerAnon tweeted:@BrokenBadger We protest how we can... when we can. Domainer V2The hack left some questioning the competence of SAPS and the security measures it employs:No secrecy law will protect against the kind of lax data security exposed by this hack of SAPS: http://www.enca.com/south-africa/thousands-vulnerable-after-saps-website... DawesIn an audio commentary, cyber-crime technical specialist Charlton Smith said "it is kind of known" that SAPS' website was vulnerable:Was known that SAPS website wasn't secure, says @TelspaceSystems after @DomainerAnon hacking Q&A:Interview with Charlton Smith, Technical Director, Telspace Systems. http://www.telspace.co.za Broadcast on Radio France Internationale's...Others viewed the hack positively as an act of justice:The SAPS were hacked by anonymous, releasing all documents relating to marikana. Hacking for the greater goodChris LowndesWas this hack defensible? Tell us in the comments below.