Cyber attack on website of research project against hate images
Unknown persons have perpetrated a cyber attack on the website of the research project "A picture hurts more than 1000 words" for the analysis of hate images on the net. IT experts needed two and a half days to rid the site of the virus and get it running safely again.
It is unclear who is responsible for the attack and what the motives behind it are, the University of Applied Sciences Graubünden said on Friday. "However, it can be assumed that one would like to deliberately harm the research goal of analyzing and combating hate on the net."
Due to the cyber attack, uploading of images to the project site was Hate-pictures-injure.ch disturbed by citizens. Thanks to preventive security measures, personal and sensitive data were not at risk at any time, it says. Previously, unknown persons had already disrupted a hybrid media conference for the presentation of the project on February 3 with a so-called troll.
The project is backed by the University of Applied Sciences Graubünden and the University of Fribourg. The aim is to collect data that is as representative as possible about who sends hate images, who they are directed against and on which platforms they are disseminated. The Federal Office of Communications is supporting the project. (SDA)
