FBI Adds Syrian Electronic Army To Wanted List; Supporters Of Hacker Collective Will Be Regarded As Terrorists

The U.S. government has had enough of the Syrian Electronic Army’s hacks of Western media and government outlets. A week after the SEA shut down the New York Times, the FBI Cyber Division unit has officially added the pro-Assad hacker collective to its wanted list.

The FBI issued an advisory that included information about the SEA, its capabilities, and some of its more heinous attacks. The advisory also warns networks to be on the lookout for attacks, and that anyone found to be aiding the SEA will be seen as terrorists actively aiding attacks against the U.S. websites.

Before the New York Times, SEA also took credit for hacking the Washington Post and a recruitment site for the U.S. Marines. They are also known for hacking several high-profile Twitter feeds, including an attack on the Associated Press’ feed that led to a temporary stock market crash.

Little is known about the SEA, though some security experts have been trying to learn more. The group of hackers formed to support Syrian President Bashar Assad in 2011 as the uprising began. The international hacker collective Anonymous claimed to have hacked the SEA and exposed its members, but SEA denies the claim.