Hackers Infiltrated PBS Website, Fake Tupac Story Posted

The PBS website was infiltrated by a group of hackers, which complained about a news program report, on Saturday evening. The hackers posted a fake story, which alleged that late Tupac Shakur was alive in New Zealand.

On Monday, PBS officials confirmed that the website had indeed been hacked. The attackers posted the false Tupac story on the site of the WETA-TV produced “PBS NewsHour” program.

It says American rapper and actor Tupac Shukar, who was shot four times and killed in the metropolitan area of Las Vegas, Nevada in 1996, was still living in a small resort in New Zealand. The story had been removed on the site as of Monday morning.

In an email, the PBS’ vice president of corporate communications, Anne Bentley said that the incorrect information posted on the PBS website has already been corrected.

She also said that the hackers released usernames and mixed-up passwords for the website’s users and administrators. Login information and passwords in plain-text were also posted for the network’s affiliate television stations. However, the affected parties were subsequently notified, Bentley said.

A group, which called itself “The Lulz Boat” and LulzSec, claimed responsibility on the attack on a post in Twitter. They also posted links to other attacks, which include a video seemingly mocking the broadcasting network.

The group said they hacked the PBS website in retribution to a recent “Frontline” edition, a PBS show that recently covered WikiLeaks. A message said the group was not impressed when they saw the ‘WikiSecrets’ report.

“Frontline” executive producer David Fanning said he had learned of the attack early Monday. He said an attack to the PBS website over a particular news program was atypical, but probably expected.

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