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Anti-Pirate Law Firm Succumbs to Coordinated Hacker Assault

by Warren Riddle on January 25, 2011 at 04:10 PM

typing handAndrew Crossley, the manager of the law firm ACS:Law, made a concerted effort last year to individually punish purported file-sharers. The dismissive Crossley learned a painful and public lesson in hubris, though, when agitated Web vigilantes launched 'Operation Payback is a B****' and specifically targeted the law firm. After having suffered site attacks, network hacks, leaked confidential information and government investigations, ACS:Law has apparently succumbed to the disruptive pirate pressure.

According to the Telegraph, Crossley recently decided to drop 26 file-sharing cases, supposedly because he endured "death threats and bomb threats." London's Metropolitan Police, however, expressed "no knowledge of any bomb threat against Mr. Crossley or ACS:Law." It might also be purely coincidental, but the chances for Crossley's success in court also began to seem suspiciously and increasingly slim. Because of apparently "weak" evidence, a judge told Crossley, "I am getting the impression with every twist and turn since I started looking at these cases that there is a desire to avoid any judicial scrutiny." So, before you start feeling sorry for poor Mr. Crossley and his beleaguered firm, just remember, the presiding judge apparently isn't prepared to offer any sympathy.

Tags: 4chan, AndrewCrossley, filesharing, FilesharingLawsuits, hackers, OperationPayback, security, top, web

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