Cyber Incident Victim: Fullerton Police Department
Date:
Jan 2014
Location:
United States of America
Summary
Anonymous targeted the Fullerton Police Department's website with a cyberattack, causing temporary disruption, in retaliation for the arrest of protesters and citizen journalists. The protests arose following the acquittal of officers involved in the fatal beating of Kelly Thomas, a mentally ill homeless man. Demonstrations initially remained peaceful but escalated after an alleged assault on a news crew member, leading to multiple arrests. The hacktivist group claimed responsibility for the website takedown as an act of protest against the department's actions, though services were later restored. The incident highlighted tensions between law enforcement and activist groups over perceived injustices.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actor | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 actor | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
The Fullerton Police Department website was taken offline in January 2014 following a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack claimed by the hacktivist collective Anonymous. This cyber incident occurred amid sustained public outrage over the July 2011 death of Kelly Thomas, a mentally ill homeless man who died after a physical altercation with Fullerton police officers. Tensions escalated when two officers involved in the incident were acquitted of all charges in January 2014, prompting hundreds of protesters to gather outside the Fullerton police station. During these demonstrations, thirteen individuals—including protesters and citizen journalists documenting the events—were arrested by police, with reports alleging some detainees were physically assaulted during apprehension. Anonymous framed their attack, designated #OpFullerton, as retaliation for both the acquittals and the subsequent arrests of demonstrators.
The police department's website remained inaccessible for an unspecified period, displaying error messages to visitors attempting to access it during the attack. Media reports confirmed the site's downtime coincided with Anonymous' claim of responsibility, though technical specifics regarding attack vectors, duration, or data compromise were not disclosed in available sources. CBS2 reported an altercation during protests where a demonstrator allegedly assaulted a television camerawoman, though this incident was not directly linked to the cyberattack in Anonymous' stated motivations. Fullerton police restored website functionality shortly after the incident, with no public statements from the department regarding operational impacts, investigation findings, or security enhancements implemented in response. The attack highlighted hacktivist exploitation of digital platforms to protest perceived injustices in law enforcement actions, though no further disruptive cyber activity against Fullerton PD was documented in immediate follow-up reporting.