Cyber Incident Victim: State of North Carolina
Date:
May 2016
Location:
United States of America
Summary
Hacktivist group Anonymous conducted DDoS attacks targeting multiple government websites in North Carolina to oppose the state's anti-LGBT 'bathroom law,' which mandated public restroom use based on biological sex. The attacks affected domains including ncgov.org and governor.state.nc.us, though officials maintained normal operations. This cyber protest aligned with Anonymous's broader activism against perceived civil rights threats, evidenced by social media campaigns under hashtags like #OpGayRights and prior actions against entities in Indiana and Donald Trump's campaigns.
| 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
In May 2016, the hacktivist collective Anonymous executed a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack against multiple North Carolina government websites in response to the state's passage of House Bill 2, commonly known as the 'bathroom law.' This legislation mandated that individuals use public restrooms corresponding to the biological sex listed on their birth certificates, drawing widespread condemnation from civil rights groups. The attack specifically targeted domains including ncgov.org, governor.state.nc.us, and northcarolina.gov, disrupting access to these sites. Official statements from state representatives asserted that government operations remained unaffected despite the cyber assault. The incident occurred shortly after similar Anonymous-led attacks against Indiana's anti-LGBT legislation in 2015 and Donald Trump's presidential campaign websites between 2015-2016. Social media accounts affiliated with Anonymous, particularly @OperationLGBT, publicly claimed responsibility through posts declaring 'F— you North Carolina main govt website… making strong anti-gay laws!' accompanied by hashtags #OpGayRights and #TangoDown. These actions aligned with the group's established pattern of digital protests against policies they deemed discriminatory.
The DDoS campaign formed part of a broader hacktivist initiative dubbed #OpGayRights, which previously targeted entities opposing LGBT rights, including Indiana's 'Right to Life' organization and adult website xHamster. Anonymous framed the North Carolina attack as a continuation of their cyber activism against perceived threats to civil liberties, drawing parallels to prior operations addressing government corruption and social inequality. No technical details regarding attack duration, traffic volume, or specific mitigation measures were disclosed by either the attackers or state officials. The incident highlighted the ongoing tension between legislative actions and digital protest movements, though no long-term operational disruptions to government services were officially confirmed. This event followed a series of geographically dispersed cyber protests by Anonymous, demonstrating their sustained focus on leveraging network disruptions as political commentary against controversial state-level policies.