National Assembly of Venezuela

Summary

A hacker group known as The Binary Guardians conducted cyberattacks targeting approximately 40 Venezuelan government and state-backed websites, including the National Assembly, Supreme Court, and telecommunications providers. The attacks disrupted services and defaced sites with protest messages, including excerpts from Charlie Chaplin's 'The Great Dictator,' expressing solidarity with anti-government demonstrations. The group declared their actions as digital resistance to support street protests against the administration, framing the Supreme Court as an extension of the ruling authority. They claimed a global presence and indicated intentions for future attacks while emphasizing their role in amplifying civilian dissent. The incident coincided with a military raid on an army base by opposition figures seeking to challenge the government.

Motives

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TTPs

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Description

On August 6-7, 2017, the hacking collective known as The Binary Guardians executed cyberattacks against approximately 40 Venezuelan government and state-affiliated websites. Targets included the National Assembly of Venezuela, Supreme Court, presidential homepage, telecommunications provider Digitel, and subscription service DirecTV. The attacks coincided with a physical assault on a military base in Valencia led by former National Guard captain Juan Carlos Caguaripano, who sought to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro’s government. Hackers disrupted services by taking websites offline, with many remaining inaccessible through late Monday. They defaced compromised sites with protest messages, including excerpts from Charlie Chaplin’s film *The Great Dictator*, and declared solidarity with anti-government demonstrators through the statement: "Our struggle is digital. You close the streets, we do so to networks." The group framed its actions as complementary to street protests, aiming to amplify dissent against what it characterized as a repressive regime.

The Binary Guardians communicated directly with IBTimes UK, confirming their global operational base and intent to launch additional attacks, though without specifying timelines. An unnamed representative criticized Venezuela’s judiciary as a "legal arm for the dictatorship" and condemned military trials for civilians. While the presidential website was restored by late August 7, other affected platforms experienced prolonged outages. The collective emphasized its role in supporting civilian resistance, stating: "We just want to make the people feel supported." Concurrently, Venezuelan authorities reported neutralizing the military base raid, with Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino confirming two attackers killed, eight captured, and approximately ten fugitives. The cyberattacks and physical assault collectively underscored escalating tensions between Maduro’s administration and opposition factions during this period.

Sources

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