The hacker collectives LulzSec and Anonymous this weekend announced a new combined campaign against the world's governments codenamed Operation Anti-Security, quashing earlier reports that the two were on the brink of war with each other.

The alleged falling out

Reports last week suggested that LulzSec and Anonymous were running at cross-purposes. Messages posted on numerous message boards indicated that some Anonymous contributors were targeting LulzSec as punishment for its attacks on "soft targets".

Specifically, the messages cited LulSec's attacks on the gaming websites Minecraft and Eve Online and subsequent decision to release 62,000 innocent internet users email and social networking account information as key reasons for a possible falling out.

Operation Anti-Security

Running contrary to last week's reports, in a statement released over the weekend the hacker collective LulzSec revealed that it was in fact uniting with its 4Chan-born brother Anonymous.

The statement revealed the groups plan to carry out a new cyber campaign against the world's governments.

Codenamed Operation Anti-Security, the statement outlined a new worldwide initiative, that would see the two collectives coordinate attacks:

"We encourage you to spread the word of AntiSec far and wide, for it will be remembered. To increase efforts, we are now teaming up with the Anonymous collective and all affiliated battleships."

As was the case with Anonymous' attacks in Turkey, the new campaign will apparently be a form of protest against certain governments internet censorship and moderation policies:

"As we're aware, the government and whitehat security terrorists across the world continue to dominate and control our Internet ocean. Sitting pretty on cargo bays full of corrupt booty, they think it's acceptable to condition and enslave all vessels in sight.

"Our Lulz Lizard battle fleet is now declaring immediate and unremitting war on the freedom-snatching moderators of 2011."

Brothers in more ways than one

Since the announcement Anonymous has confirmed the authenticity of LulzSec's claims posting a tweet reporting that it and LulzSec are "bros teh internetz".

The tweet, which went up on the same day as LulzSec's call to arms, read, "Attention #Media: about #Lulzsec and #Anonymous, we are not at war. We are bros of teh internetz. Also, /b/ != Anonymous."

A tweet from LulzSec followed stating, "To confirm, we aren't going after Anonymous. 4chan isn't Anonymous to begin with, and /b/ is certainly not the whole of 4chan. True story."

Some analysts have already taken the use of brother to have a double meaning, referring to the two collectives shared 4Chan-born origin as well as their new found shared purpose.

Neither group has yet reported an attack under the new Operation Anti-Security motto.

UPDATE: LulzSec has since hacked the U.K.'s Serious Organised Crime Agency.

UPDATE: LulzSec claims to have hacked the U.K. census.