Hackers based in the Middle East and North Africa are planning cyber attacks against the websites of U.S. government agencies, banks, and other companies, the Washington Times reports.
The Anonymous-linked attacks dubbed Operation USA (OpUSA) will begin Tuesday, according to a Department of Homeland Security bulletin.
The bulletin notes that the attacks are being promoted by the moderators of websites and discussion forums that host al Qaeda and other Islamic extremist material, in addition to calls through more conventional hacker channels like the bulletin board Pastebin.
This collaboration may "signal an emerging trend of Middle East- and North Africa-based criminally motivated hackers collaborating with others regardless of their motivation," like Islamic extremists, states the bulletin.
"Middle East- and North-Africa-based criminal hackers will continue issuing public statements to announce cyber attack plans against high-profile targets," the bulletin predicts.
