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What is the CyberCaliphate?

Profile photo posted on the hacked CENTCOM site, on December 12, 2015. Screen capture, @CENTCOM

The U.S. military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) Twitter account was hacked on Monday, by a group calling itself the “CyberCaliphate”.

The group tweeted a statement from the hacked account which said that it operated under ISIS, though it is unclear whether it is actually affiliated with the organization.

A screen capture from the hacked CENTCOM Twitter account.
A screen capture from the hacked CENTCOM Twitter account. Screen capture, @CENTCOM

It also posted information which appeared to be lists of phone numbers and email addresses of various military personnel, as well as maps of China and North Korea.

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This isn’t the first time the CyberCaliphate has struck though.

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A group with the same name and user profile photo took over the Alberquerque Journal’s Twitter account, as well as the account of a Maryland television station – WBOC TV 16 – on Jan. 6. In that case, the hacked account posted some personal information of employees at the news outlets, according to media reports.

It also claimed to have hacked FBI databases. The FBI confirmed last week that it was looking into the Alberquerque case, and confirmed Tuesday evening that it was also investigating the CENTCOM hacking.

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