As there’s been a huge increase in media coverage of hacker activity and cyberwarfare across the world, we’re starting to see more major news outlets describe what happens when entire countries get targeted. Fifty-one Malaysian  government controlled websites suffered hacks last week on Wednesday after the hactivist collective Anonymous put them in their crosshairs, reports Reuters:

In the attacks, 91 websites were hit including 51 government websites, the industry regulator, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, said on Thursday.

Access to 76 of the 91 websites attacked since shortly before midnight on Wednesday had been recovered, it said.

The attacks followed a warning by Internet vigilante group Anonymous, which said it would attack the government’s official portal to punish it for censoring WikiLeaks, the website that aims to expose governments and corporations by leaking secret documents.

Anonymous collective and the newly celebrity Lulz Security (aka LulzSec) group have discovered a lion’s share of media inches lately for their activity and exploits. In fact, Sunday evening, LulzSec declared this upcoming week a hackaton dubbed Operation AntiSec and called for all their fans and followers asking them to come down hard on insecure government websites in a joint effort with the Anonymous collective.

While LulzSec has been hitting everything from FBI affiliates, to Sony, and video game forums; the sub-groups that make up the Anonymous collective have always been much more politicized in their online hacking behavior, acting more as cyber-activists (thus the neologism “hactivist” being attached to them by media sources.)

As part of LulzSec’s manifesto, the fact that government resources have public-facing vulnerabilities makes them particularly enticing targets, and if those governments and agencies are also engaged in politically unsavory behavior they would also be prey for Anonymous.

Most of the Malaysian websites targeted by Anonymous last week were crushed beneath the boot of botnet fueled distributed denial of service attacks; but some of them suffered actual intrusion and defacement. The group responsible for many of the defacements has identified itself as Dragon Force. Unlike LulzSec, Anonymous is not a monolithic group; it’s a pennet flag flown by disconnected groups in the midst of a collective charge. As a result, we see lots of small, nimble hacker teams involving themselves in mass Anonymous operations.

Read below the manifesto delivered by spokespeople claiming to be affiliated with the Anonymous action in Operation Malaysia (#OpMalaysia):

Greetings, Malaysia,

We have seen the censorship taken by the Malaysian government, blocking sites like The Pirate Bay, and WikiLeaks. Malaysia is one of the world’s strictest governments, even blocking out movies, and television shows. These acts of censorship are inexcusable. You are taking away a basic human right. The internet is here for freedom, without fear of government interference. Do not think that no one else notices. Your structured government has done the talking, and we hear loud and clear. Let this be an announcement to all your people. This is a sign, a warning, and an opportunity to listen to ideas above your own. In a way you are being stubborn. But how will this help anyone or your country. We fear that if you make further decisions to take away human freedom. We are obligated to act fast and have no mercy. For rules were meant to be broken. And corruption was meant to be washed away and forgiven. Now we will wash your corruption away so be prepared. Take this as a favor.