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HBGary Federal CEO Aaron Barr Steps Down

Gunkerty Jeb writes "Embattled CEO Aaron Barr says he is stepping down from his post at HBGary Federal to allow the company to move on after members of the online mischief making group Anonymous hacked into HBGary Federal's computer network and published tens of thousands of company e-mail messages on the Internet. In an interview with Threatpost, Barr said that he is stepping down to allow himself and the company he ran to move on in the wake of the high profile hack."

20 of 212 comments (clear)

  1. owned by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    This will go down in history as an awesome example of the firepower of the fully armed and operational battlestation.

    1. Re:owned by spun · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Fully armed and operational, except for the bit that actually aims the weapons. Anonymous might demolish a genuine bad guy, or they might destroy the life of some innocent teenager. Being what it is, Anonymous has only a small chance of evolving into real hacktivism and away from it's "for the lulz" roots. That makes it even more dangerous than most vengeful vigilante groups. I mean, "That teenage girl is a camwhore!" is as much of a motivating battle-cry to Anonymous as "That guy is subverting the law to attack wikileaks." Needless to say, I'm happy this creep got his comeuppance. But I would much rather his downfall were accomplished through the rule of law and not vigilante justice. Still, when real justice is hopelessly corrupt, what else is there?

      --
      - None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
    2. Re:owned by spun · · Score: 4, Interesting

      How is this not vigilante justice? Anonymous went outside the law to punish someone they see as an evildoer. That is pretty much the definition of vigilante justice.

      --
      - None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
    3. Re:owned by nobodylocalhost · · Score: 5, Informative

      Just put this in perspective here... Let's take track records,

      This is what rule of law has accomplished.

      This is what rule of law asked these scumbags do

      And this is in the plans, not to mention DoJ recommended firms to BoA to do this.

      At this point I am wondering where is Thomas Jefferson when we need him now, and you honestly are thinking about the wellbeing of some teenager's personal on-line life? They don't even come close in term of scope! If I have to be a sacrifice for Anon in order to stump out the rampant corruption then so be it! I am Spartacus!

      --
      Where is the "Ignorant" mod tag?
    4. Re:owned by Runaway1956 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Wait - who "went after" who, first? Didn't Barr start this whole thing? Or, am I just getting senile, and imagining stuff? As I recall, Barr was intent on exposing some of Anonymous' top people - and Anonymous responded by destroying Barr's shoddy-assed network. Punished? No, Barr hasn't even been punished, merely exposed for the fraud that he is. As a Navy man, I would say that Anonymous has Damage Control down pat. Oh - the self appointed vigilante - that might be Barr. After all, he's the guy who was perfectly happy to bend, fold, and mutilate the law in order to go after Julian Assange, and any other high profile targets that might have helped inflate Barr's ego.

      --
      "Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
  2. yeah and more time with his family by inkscapee · · Score: 5, Funny

    and rehab, and the blahblahlblah usual excuses that mean "I don't know the first thing about security, but I have insider connections and can con almost anyone, especially other ignorant stupid CEOs. It's been a wonderful, lucrative experience! God bless, see you all in my new venture, securitized subprime mortgage loans!"

  3. Obligatory by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    And nothing of value was lost...

  4. Anon wins. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    FLAWLESS VICTORY

  5. Re:He wasn't fired? by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You must be thinking of little people rules...

  6. Re:The moral of the story by fishexe · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I learned this years ago: Don't get into an online pissing contest. Just don't. Both sides inevitably lose.

    Hard to see how the Anon side lost here. Their prestige is up, their deadly rep is more solid than ever, and still nobody knows who they are IRL. So maybe the lesson should be, "don't get into an online pissing contest, unless you really are the most badass hacker gang in history."

    --
    "I don't care about the Constitution!" --Bill O'Reilly, November 17, 2009
  7. Revisionist history anyone? by Chas · · Score: 5, Insightful

    From the argh-tickle.

    "By combining a SQL injection attack on HBGary's Web site with sophisticated social engineering attacks"

    Uhm. WHAT?

    Sophisticated? I wouldn't call a couple of e-mails from a hijacked account asking to back-door a server "sophisticated".

    What the HBGary hack was:

    Basic SQL Injection
    Weak passwords
    Password Re-use
    SIMPLE social engineering

    Your basic molotov cocktail of fail.

    --


    Chas - The one, the only.
    THANK GOD!!!
  8. Re:The moral of the story by Predius · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Anon provided more ammo for those who want to implement multiple forms of 'internet controls' or harsher punishment for 'cyber' crime. They just fortified the positions of those they're trying to scare off.

  9. Re:He wasn't fired? by newcastlejon · · Score: 4, Informative

    He partially owned the company. you can't fire someone like that. you have to buy them out.

    That depends on how much a portion he owned. If, say, he owned 15% of the shares and the other 85% of the shareholders say GTFO then that's just what he has to do. He'll still own shares but he won't be CEO or what have you.

    --
    If God forks the Universe every time you roll a die, he'd better have a damned good memory.
  10. Re:The moral of the story by spyder-implee · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They also exposed the fraudulent plans of a major security firm. Shouldn't it fortify the position that corporations holding those kind of government contracts should come under more scrutiny?

    --
    Take what ye can. Give nothing back!
  11. From TFA by Kozar_The_Malignant · · Score: 5, Insightful

    >Leavy said that the company's partners had been supportive following the hack. The proposals for Bank of America and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce were simply responses to requests for services that HBGary had received. "HBGary Federal is a services company and they were asked to develop proposals," she told Threatpost.

    I see. That fact that the "services" are illegal, immoral, and unethical really doesn't enter in, because they're a service company and this is a service. Sort of like a hit man is just an HR professional specializing in staff reduction services.

    --
    Some mornings it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints to get out of bed.
  12. A sign of the times? by Fallout2man · · Score: 5, Interesting

    You know in many ways I'm starting to wonder if the rise of Anonymous could be considered a legitimate political/social phenomena linked to the recession and how people feel increasingly left out of the political process/system because of big money buying our congress' collective ears? Widespread piracy is widely considered by many to be an economic indicator that the market has become too one-sided, maybe this is the political equivalent?

    I saw a post suggesting they may be targeting the Koch Brothers for their involvement in the current Wisconsin/multi-state effort to completely bust Unions. Is this finally the people striking back? Not to say I'm not thankful someone's taking the time to respond, but oh what a sad thing it says about humanity that we have to resort to these types of solutions to keep from getting completely steamrolled by the almighty dollar?

  13. Ah, nice logic by SmallFurryCreature · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So basically, I shouldn't use any freedoms because that might give fuel to someone wishing to limit them?

    So gay people, don't be gay or people might forbid it.

    A spine, you need one. Or afraid if you get one, people will forbid it?

    --

    MMO Quests are like orgasms:

    You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.

    1. Re:Ah, nice logic by drinkypoo · · Score: 4, Informative

      You are not free to break the law.

      Yes, yes you are. There may be consequences.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  14. Good riddance. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Frankly I lost all respect for the guy back when the sonuvabitch shot Alexander Humilton.

  15. Re:The moral of the story by cheesecake23 · · Score: 4, Informative

    I think the moral of the story was "Don't stick your penis into the hornet's nest."

    I'm all for citing Colbert, but you should at least give him the credit for the quote and provide a link, especially when the segment is so hilarious.