002.3: PhineasFisher | Taking on The STATE and the BANK!

In this episode of the Intrusions in Depth Podcast, host Josh Stepp delves into the multifaceted story of Phineas Fisher, exploring three significant cyber-attacks: the AKP email release in Turkey, the ethical bank heist at the Cayman National Bank, and the hack of the Catalan police union. Phineas Fisher's actions highlight the intersection of political activism and cyber warfare against global turmoil in 2016, including the Turkish coup attempt and escalating tensions with Russia. Through these attacks, Fisher aimed to expose corruption, support marginalized groups like the Kurdish people, and challenge global economic inequalities, all while sharing detailed tutorials to inspire similar acts of hacktivism.

Topics:

1. Overview of 2016 and Global Context

   • 2016: A tumultuous year with significant global events including the Trump-Clinton election, the rise of destructive ransomware like NotPetya, and the activities of shadowy hacking groups.

   • Tensions between Russia and Turkey following the downing of a Russian SU-24 jet by Turkey.

   • The impact of these events on international relations and cyber activities.

   2. The Turkish AKP Email Release

   • Background on Turkey's political landscape, including the long-standing conflict between the Turkish government and Kurdish groups.

   • The 2016 attempted coup against President Erdogan and its aftermath, including extensive purges.

   • Phineas Fisher's hack of the AKP and the release of emails, contributing to the theory of their possible connection to Russian interests.

   3. The Historical Context of the Kurdish-Turkish Conflict

   • A detailed history of the conflict between the Turkish government and Kurdish people, including the formation of autonomous zones and the role of Kurdish forces in fighting ISIS.

   • The significance of Rojava and the People's Protection Units (YPG) in the regional power dynamics.

   • The complex relationship between Turkey and the Kurdish resistance, shaped by decades of violence and political maneuvers.

   4. Phineas Fisher’s Bank Heist

   • The ethical robbery of the Cayman National Bank by Phineas Fisher, highlighting their motivations and methods.

   • The use of stolen funds to support causes aligned with their beliefs, including donations to Kurdish autonomous zones.

   • The publication of the HackBack manifesto detailing the bank heist and encouraging others to engage in politically motivated cyber attacks.

   5. The Police Union Hack in Catalonia

   • Phineas Fisher's hack of the Catalan police union, exposing personal details of officers and highlighting issues of police brutality.

   • The use of the hack to support the 15M anti-austerity movement in Spain.

   • The publication of a detailed tutorial on how to conduct similar hacks, aiming to inspire others to take action against perceived injustices.

     Show Notes

• Cult of the Dead Cow

• Stats On Stats Podcast : https://www.youtube.com/@StatsOnStats

• https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2016/05/20/phineas-fisher-records-latest-attack/

• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/7/19/turkey-wikileaks-releases-thousands-of-akp-emails

• https://securityaffairs.com/49564/hacktivism/erdogan-emails-wikileaks-banned-in-turkey.html

• https://github.com/bontchev/wlscrape/blob/master/malware.md

• https://hackread.com/wikileaks-turkish-akp-dumps-contain-malware/

• https://www.vice.com/en/article/vv77y9/phineas-fisher-sme

• https://www.vice.com/en/article/3dpkp3/phineas-fisher-raids

• https://www.vice.com/en/article/xy5enw/hacking-teams-phineas-fisher-will-return-but-only-after-a-break-at-the-beach

• https://www.vice.com/en/article/ne8p9b/offshore-bank-targeted-phineas-fisher-confirms-hack-cayman-national-bank

• https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/05/robin-hood-hacker-rojava-syria-bitcoin-donation/

• https://www.vice.com/en/article/qv7y8m/vigilante-hacker-phineas-fisher-denies-working-for-the-russian-government

• https://www.vice.com/en/article/yp3n55/phineas-fisher-turkish-government-hack

• https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/subcowmandante-marcos-hack-back

• https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/subcowmandante-marcos-hack-back#fn46

• https://securityaffairs.com/49575/hacktivism/phineas-fisher-erdogan-emails.html

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeynep_K%C4%B1nac%C4%B1

• https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2016/07/21/russia-warned-turkey-about-imminent-coup-a54674