Date: Sat, 17 Aug 1996 23:19:30 -0400
From: "Howlin' Blue" <[l--oa--l] at [ICSI.Net]>
Subject: For those of you who don't believe in God

HACKERS HIT JUSTICE DEPARTMENT WEB SITE


WASHINGTON (Aug 17, 1996 7:29 p.m. EDT) -- Internet hackers infiltrated
the Justice Department's home page Saturday, altering the official web
site to include swastikas, obscene pictures and lots of criticism of
the Communications Decency Act.

The official web site, which was turned off by government technicians
when it was discovered Saturday morning, was changed to read "United
States Department of Injustice," next to a red, black and white flag
bearing a swastika. The text of the page was written over a background
of gray swastikas, and at the top declared in red letters: "This page
is in violation of the Communications Decency Act."

The page included color pictures of George Washington, Adolf Hitler,
who is called the attorney general, and a topless Jennifer Aniston, one
of the stars of NBC's "Friends." Other sexually explicit images were
shown.

"Somebody did get into the web page at the Justice Department," said
department spokesman Joe Krovisky, but the site was turned off and
remained off Saturday afternoon.

The spokesman said Justice officials were not sure initially what
statutes were violated, "but certainly would be against the law."
Possibilities, he said, might be destruction or defacing government
property -- or perhaps trespassing.

Krovinsky added that the department expected to have the page
reconstructed and running again by Sunday, or Monday at the latest.

The agency web site is used to post public information, including
government news releases and speeches, Krovisky said.

Hackers used the majority of the web site to criticize the
Communication Decency Act, signed in February, which makes transmitting
sexually explicit material in ways children might see it a felony,
punishable by up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  A federal
appeals court declared the law unconstitutional.

"As the largest law firm in the nation, the Department of Justice
serves to punish all who don't agree with the moral standards set forth
by (President) Clinton," the page said. "Anything and anyone different
must be jailed."

The altered web site said the new law takes away privacy rights and
freedom of speech.

"It is hard to trick hundreds of millions of people out of their
freedoms, but we should be complete within a decade," the page said.

The doctored page also had links to other web sites, all unflattering,
about Clinton, Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole and
conservative commentator Pat Buchanan. Those sites, which are not the
official campaign sites, were still operating Saturday.

The official Justice Department web site is http://www.usdoj.gov