LulzSec, Anonymous Hackers Hit U.S. Law Enforcement

LulzSec and Anonymous hackers have once again targeted U.S. law enforcement agencies, releasing the "largest cache yet" of stolen data.

The attack was publicized as "Shooting Sheriffs Saturday Release" over the weekend via the two group's Twitter pages. The stolen information was later posted online. It included personal information, e-mail addresses, passwords, training files, informant information, Social Security Numbers and stolen credit card information of U.S. law enforcement employees.

The two groups later clarified that the attacks were enacted as "protests" against the U.S., UK and Dutch authorities' arrests of numerous suspected Anonymous and LulzSec hackers earlier this year.

Despite his arrest in the UK, 18-year-old Jake Davis -- known as "Topiary" online -- was given particular emphasis. Davis was arrested earlier this year and is commonly believed to be a "key" member of LulzSec.

"We are doing this in solidarity with Topiary and the Anonymous PayPal LOIC defendants as well as all other political prisoners who are facing the gun of the crooked court system," read the group's statement. "You may bust a few of us, but we greatly outnumber you, and you can never stop us from continuing to destroy your systems and leak your data."

The latest wave of cyberattacks saw the two hacker collectives steal files from as many as 77 different offices. In the subsequent data dump, around 100,000 police officers' e-mails were released.

In addition, one of the files leaked, entitled "Snitch crime tip report" contained the names and addresses of members of the public who had given evidence or testimony to the police specifically requesting that their identities remain secret.

To justify the release, the hackers wrote: "We have no sympathy for any of the officers or informants who may be endangered by the release of their personal information."

The hackers later commented that as well as showing "solidarity" with the arrested suspect hackers, the attacks were designed to "demonstrate the inherently corrupt nature of law enforcement.''

The groups later alleged that some of the credit cards taken had been used to make "involuntary donations" to several causes supported by Anonymous and LulzSec.

The groups went on to promise that attacks would continue as long as the world's law enforcement targeted Anonymous and LulzSec members.