'Friendly Hackers' Hijack UK Shopping Centre Billboard

Liverpool One shopping centre in the UK has been forced to shut down a slew of digital billboards after an unknown hacker tampered with the signage recently.

"We suggest you improve your security. Sincerely, your friendly neighbourhood hackers," a message on the Elonex-branded billboard read. Images of the alleged hack emerged on both Twitter and Reddit this week, with a number of commentators charmed by the overly polite warning.

"Our screens are operated by an external company which is currently investigating what happened as a matter of urgency," a Liverpool One spokesperson said.

"As soon as the apparent hacked message appeared on the screen, Liverpool One immediately closed it down."

The hackers' message was signed "#JFT96" which is often used as an abbreviation of "Justice for the 96" following the Hillsborough football disaster in 1989.

"We can confirm an incident occurred over the weekend on one of the 18 screens we operate at Liverpool One," a spokesman for Elonex, the UK firm which produces the LED displays, told the BBC. 

"The incident appears to have been good-natured and not intended to cause offence or disruption, for which we are grateful."

The Liverpool One spokesperson claimed that no other screens in the centre were affected. However, a day later, 30 May, Liverpool-based security researcher Kevin Beaumont posted a series of images on Twitter showing a number screens at the shopping mall still offline.

The identity of the culprit remains unknown. 

IB Times:

You Might Also Read:

Disney Says Film Hack Threat Was A Hoax:

 

« Six Seconds To Hack A Credit Card
Cyberspies: The Secret History of Surveillance, Hacking And Digital Espionage »

CyberSecurity Jobsite
Perimeter 81

Directory of Suppliers

Perimeter 81 / How to Select the Right ZTNA Solution

Perimeter 81 / How to Select the Right ZTNA Solution

Gartner insights into How to Select the Right ZTNA offering. Download this FREE report for a limited time only.

BackupVault

BackupVault

BackupVault is a leading provider of automatic cloud backup and critical data protection against ransomware, insider attacks and hackers for businesses and organisations worldwide.

Jooble

Jooble

Jooble is a job search aggregator operating in 71 countries worldwide. We simplify the job search process by displaying active job ads from major job boards and career sites across the internet.

Alvacomm

Alvacomm

Alvacomm offers holistic VIP cybersecurity services, providing comprehensive protection against cyber threats. Our solutions include risk assessment, threat detection, incident response.

DigitalStakeout

DigitalStakeout

DigitalStakeout enables cyber security professionals to reduce cyber risk to their organization with proactive security solutions, providing immediate improvement in security posture and ROI.

GFI Software

GFI Software

GFI Software works with System Administrators, IT Professionals and IT Executives to ensure that their IT infrastructures are monitored, managed, secured and compliant.

Cybercom Group

Cybercom Group

Cybercom offers strategic advice, testing & quality assurance, security solutions, system development, integration, management and operation services.

SERMA Safety & Security (S3)

SERMA Safety & Security (S3)

SERMA Safety & Security provides a comprehensive cybersecurity offering incorporating Expertise, Evaluation, Consultancy and Training, covering hardware, software and information systems.

Conscia

Conscia

Conscia provides IT infrastructure solutions and 24/7 services in network, data center, security and mobility.

Cybersecurity Collaborative

Cybersecurity Collaborative

CyberSecurity Collaborative is a forum for CISOs to share information that will collectively make us stronger, and better equipped to protect our enterprises from those seeking to damage them.

WISeKey

WISeKey

WISeKey is a leading cybersecurity company currently deploying large scale digital identity ecosystems for people and objects using Blockchain, AI and IoT.

AlertEnterprise

AlertEnterprise

AlertEnterprise uniquely eliminates silos and uncovers blended threats across IT Security, Physical Access Controls and Industrial Control Systems.

HardSecure

HardSecure

Hardsecure supports organizations to face security threats through the adoption of cybersecurity capabilities that guarantee 360º monitoring, visibility, mitigation, and blocking.

BIO-key

BIO-key

BIO-key is a pioneer and innovator, we are recognized as a leading developer of fingerprint biometric authentication and security solutions.

Riskaware

Riskaware

CyberAware, by Riskaware, provides business-critical cyber attack analysis and impact assessments using NIST standards aligned with NCSC guidance.

SafeStack Academy

SafeStack Academy

SafeStack Academy is an online cyber security and privacy education platform. Our content is designed by experts to suit small businesses, growing companies, and development teams.

U2opia Technology

U2opia Technology

U2opia is a consortium with a proven track record of delivering groundbreaking technology, cybersecurity, and innovative business solutions.

Segra

Segra

Segra owns and operates one of the nation’s largest fiber networks and provides best-in-class broadband and data security solutions throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic.

Walacor

Walacor

Walacor’s secure data platform represents the next generation of secure data and blockchain storage with a trust-first approach that revolutionizes enterprise data, and database management systems.

AKIPS

AKIPS

AKIPS develops the world's most scalable network and infrastructure monitoring software, delivered as a turn-key software appliance.

Lenze

Lenze

Lenze are an experienced partner for automation systems, digitalization and cyber security.