By Daily Press staff
The Big Blue Bus’ Web site was hacked Friday afternoon by an unidentified perpetrator, briefly transforming the public transit agency’s main page from a source of information about schedules and fares to anti-war propaganda.
Big Blue Bus officials are not sure when the hacker accessed the Web site or why they decided to leave their mark. The site was returned to normal within an hour after it was discovered Friday afternoon, said Dan Dawson, spokesman for the BBB.
“We do know that the technical mechanism that allowed the hacker to get in was blocked and our IT department is working on a longer term fix so it won’t happen again,” Dawson said.
Visitors to the BBB site were greeted by a solid bright blue screen, containing a picture of a gas nozzle against a child’s forehead. Below it was an unintelligible rant about protesting the war.
The episode marked the second time the Big Blue Bus’ site has been hacked within the past year. About six months ago, a hacker posted an anti-American message on the site, Dawson said. The bus agency made some adjustments in response to the online invasion.
Suggested pullquote: “We do know that the technical mechanism that allowed the hacker to get in was blocked and our IT department is working on a longer term fix so it won’t allow it to happen again.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 13, 2007. Read the original PDF.