Hackers deface Libya’s top level domain registry with anti-Gaddafi message

Nic.ly logoWith heavy fighting reaching the compound of Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi, hackers have also taken virtual arms overnight and defaced the website of domain name registry nic.ly.

Hackers calling themselves “Electr0n” have defaced the nic.ly website, the main registry which administers .ly domain names (the “.ly” stands for “Libya”) and replaced it with a defiant message:

Nic.ly defaced website

[+] HACKED By Electr0n[+]
&
|~| ali monder |~|

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bye bye Qadaffi
Feb 17 Libya

Greetz to
Dr.exe | Qnix | Rock-Master | LoverBoy | r1z
And All Muslim Hackers :)

The date February 17th relates to when Libyan protesters began their demonstrations only to be shot upon by security forces loyal to Colonel Gaddafi.

Perhaps the most famous site to use the .ly country code as as their top level domain is the bit.ly url shortening service. Companies which have .ly country codes in their domain name do not appear to been impacted by the hack, which seems to just be a defacement of the nic.ly main page.


Graham Cluley is an award-winning keynote speaker who has given presentations around the world about cybersecurity, hackers, and online privacy. A veteran of the computer security industry since the early 1990s, he wrote the first ever version of Dr Solomon's Anti-Virus Toolkit for Windows, makes regular media appearances, and is the co-host of the popular "The AI Fix" and "Smashing Security" podcasts. Follow him on Bluesky and Mastodon, or drop him an email.

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