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View Full Version : Anonymous mask flashes over Stephen Colbert’s face during ‘Colbert Report’




Nate-ForLiberty
02-25-2011, 12:02 PM
A Guy Fawkes mask — an icon of the Anonymous hacktivist group — was subliminally superimposed over Stephen Colbert's face during Thurday's "Colbert Report." Was this an inside joke, or hacker prank?

If you were watching last night’s episode of the “Colbert Report,” you may have noticed an odd flash over host Stephen Colbert’s face while he was interviewing Salon.com journalist Glenn Greenwald about the crazy cyber shenanigans of hacktivist group Anonymous, and their prickly relationship with cyber security firms HBGary and HBGary federal. Turns out, the flash was actually a Fight Club-style insertion of a Guy Fawkes mask, a staple accessory of Anonymous.

Internet detectives slowed down the clip to make the Guy Fawkes-Anonymous mask appear clear as day. That clip was subsequently posted various places online, including Reddit.com and the forums of ColbertNation.com, which sparked a flood of speculation about the mask flash.

The main questions on people’s minds seems to be, Did the “Colbert Report” put the mask in on purpose, as a prank? Or was it the work of Anonymous?

The answer is… we don’t know. As far as we can tell, no one from the “Colbert Report” has commented about the mask one way or another. But it certainly doesn’t seem like such a stretch that Colbert and his crew would insert the mask as an inside joke to the show’s tech-savvy fans.

Anonymous, famous for their defense of anti-secrecy organization WikiLeaks, certainly has taken on some powerful enemies recently, including Paypal, Visa, Master Card and, most recently, the cyber security punks of HBGary, who caught hell from the organization for their attempts to infiltrate the loose-knit hacker group. It does seem unlikely, however, that Anonymous was able to sneak the mask into the show, no matter how capable their hacking skills.

That is, unless they’ve recruited Tyler Durden into their ranks. In which case, nice work, Mr. Durden.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/anonymous-mask-flashes-over-stephen-colberts-face-during-colbert-report/


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dnfh05JFQ4&feature=player_embedded

on someone's dvr...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5RlmS5YlBM&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRNKA0fBa4o&feature=related

fisharmor
02-25-2011, 12:07 PM
I think the appropriate colloquialism in this situation would be
"Epic prank is epic".

BenIsForRon
02-25-2011, 12:12 PM
Epic if they really did hack the show. What probably really happened is that Colbert's staff did this as more of a tribute to anonymous.

Andrew-Austin
02-25-2011, 12:18 PM
My guess is some Colbert Report staff identify with anonymous, they did it knowing people would notice as a sort of display of power, to say "we're everywhere".

RonPaulCult
02-25-2011, 12:33 PM
It was obviously an inside job, but not sure if Colbert's staff did it as a prank or somebody there actually inserted it as anonymous.

fisharmor
02-25-2011, 12:35 PM
My guess is some Colbert Report staff identify with anonymous, they did it knowing people would notice as a sort of display of power, to say "we're everywhere".

Hah - excellent tie in.

"The people you are after, are the people you depend on- We cook your meals, we haul your trash, we connect your calls, we drive your ambulances, we guard you while you sleep - do not fuck with us."
-Tyler Durden

tangent4ronpaul
02-25-2011, 03:26 PM
It was obviously an inside job, but not sure if Colbert's staff did it as a prank or somebody there actually inserted it as anonymous.

Not so obviously. While the equipment to render and insert things in the video stream isn't supposed to be connected to the outside world, inevitably just like w/ SCADA systems, some lazy engineer will look up a modem so they can just dial in instead of come down to the station when their pager goes off at 3am...

Also, consider this old SBIR contract notice from back when Vint Hill Farms Station was still in business:

http://www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/sbir/solicitations/sbir902/army902.pdf

A90-217 TITLE: Computer Virus Electronic Counter Measure (ECM)
CATEGORY: Exploratory Development
OBJECTIVE: The objective shall be to determine the potential for using “computer viruses” as an ECM technique
against generic military communications systems/nets. The goal shall be to determine the feasibility of remotely
introducing a virus into a system/net and analyzing its effects on various subsystem components.
DESCRIPTION: The purpose of this research shall be to investigate potential use of computer viruses to achieve
traditional communications ECM effects in targeted communications systems. These effects can include data
(information) disruption, denial, and deception, but other effects should also be researched such as effects on
executable code in processors, memory storage management, etc. Research in effective methods or strategies to
remotely introduce such viruses shall also be conducted. Efforts in this area should be focused on RF atmospheric
signal transmission such as performed in tactical military data communication.
Phase I: Phase I shall analyze the feasibility of using viruses as an ECM technique. Analysis shall include validity
studies of the concept, types of viruses suitable to be employed in this concept, strategies for virus injection, and
analytical and/or simulated predictions of effects. Phase I shall culminate with the submission of a final report that
details the above analysis and outlines a method that can validate the concept.
Phase II: Based on analysis performed under Phase I, develop a demonstration method that can validate the virus
ECM concept and demonstrate various ECM techniques or strategies. Phase II shall culminate with this
demonstration and a final report describing demonstration methodology, results, and analysis of effects compared
with predicted effects from the Phase I effort. The final report shall also summarize or make conclusions as to the
future potential of using virus ECM techniques or strategies.

====
While this one focuses on RF, the one I remember was about microwave. When 2 microwave beams cross each other, they effect each other and one can inject, modify or pick up data from the other...

-t

tangent4ronpaul
02-25-2011, 11:27 PM
//

Vessol
02-26-2011, 12:03 AM
Am I the only one not enamored with 4chan?

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?280519-Anonymous-Puts-Westboro-Baptist-Church-On-Notice-EDIT-CBS-Headline-inaccurate&p=3134631#post3134631

Seriously. Maybe it's because I spent years posting in that hellhole and SomethingAwful, but there really isn't anything redeemable about them..

notsure
02-26-2011, 12:13 AM
I saw that when it first aired, but i thought it was just a digital glitch. I had a feeling there was something going on there. Thanks for posting this.

squarepusher
02-26-2011, 01:00 AM
it seems too complex in my opinion for a "remote hacker" to be able to do (superimpose an image on someones face in real time).

Anti Federalist
02-26-2011, 01:08 AM
http://chzdailywhat.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/bd00afb3-c0f6-45c6-ba73-23419510292f.jpg

Anti Federalist
02-26-2011, 01:09 AM
Am I the only one not enamored with 4chan?

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?280519-Anonymous-Puts-Westboro-Baptist-Church-On-Notice-EDIT-CBS-Headline-inaccurate&p=3134631#post3134631

Seriously. Maybe it's because I spent years posting in that hellhole and SomethingAwful, but there really isn't anything redeemable about them..

Glad to see you made it out OK.

I'll lurk from time to time, but you're right, it's pretty much a cesspool.

RonPaulwillWin
02-26-2011, 01:10 AM
Colbert always gives tribute to the internets

http://i.imgur.com/Jz5vW.png

eOs
02-26-2011, 01:26 AM
Am I the only one not enamored with 4chan?

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?280519-Anonymous-Puts-Westboro-Baptist-Church-On-Notice-EDIT-CBS-Headline-inaccurate&p=3134631#post3134631

Seriously. Maybe it's because I spent years posting in that hellhole and SomethingAwful, but there really isn't anything redeemable about them..

4chan is like 40,000 dirty hookers standing out in front of a pizza shop that is a cover for the local mafia.

dannno
02-26-2011, 08:50 PM
This will be one of the big mysteries of our time.

Sentient Void
02-26-2011, 08:59 PM
Yeah. Definitely a cesspool. But it's meant to be.

In a nutshell, it's basically trolls trolling trolls, trolling trolls, trolling trolls, trolling trolls, ad infinitum.

TheeJoeGlass
02-26-2011, 09:24 PM
I am growing a bit tired of the "tactics" surrounding Anon and wikileaks. Where is the BoA documents already? Almost March and they said it would be released in early January. What gives? I am a fan, ofcourse. Just want to see some real action!! Not messing around with Colbert and the WBC.

tangent4ronpaul
02-26-2011, 09:29 PM
I thought they said early in the year and then the Middle East exploded + the extradition BS, etc.