In an unusual cyber breach, one of the largest nuclear laboratories in the United States, the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), found itself targeted by self-proclaimed “gay furry hackers” on November 20th. The hacktivist group, known as SiegedSec, humorously demanded that the lab shift its research focus to “real-life cat-girls.” This bizarre incident has left the LGBTQ+ community raising eyebrows, as there is an intriguing overlap between the furry fandom and LGBTQ+ interests.
SiegedSec, which had previously claimed to breach NATO’s IT security twice in the same year, hacked INL and exposed a sample of data, including sensitive information like social security numbers, birthdays, and phone numbers of employees. In a peculiar turn of events, the group offered to safeguard this data if the laboratory agreed to engage in the whimsical endeavor of researching “IRL cat-girls.”
The term “IRL cat-girls” refers to the concept of creating real cat-human female hybrids, a subject often associated with memes and internet culture but far from the laboratory’s typical research pursuits. Lori McNamara, spokeswoman for INL, confirmed the cyber attack and stated that immediate measures were taken to protect employee data.
SiegedSec, known for their eccentricity, made public posts adorned with phrases like “meow meow meow meow meow meow meow” to celebrate their hacktivist achievement. Additionally, the group asserted that they possessed a substantial amount of data, even claiming to have sent messages via the Oracle software used by the lab to demonstrate their access.
When questioned about their motives for targeting INL, the hackers enigmatically responded, “We are cats; intricacies such as ‘why’ do not concern us.” Following the breach, INL initiated contact with federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security’s Cyber Security and Infrastructure Security Agency, to investigate the extent of data compromised in this incident.
The Idaho National Laboratory, managed by the US Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, primarily focuses on pioneering research in nuclear technology, renewable energy systems, and security solutions, including the quest for carbon-free options. This unusual cyberattack has certainly added an unexpected twist to their ongoing work.