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 "Putrid trash of a country" was one of the messages left apparently by hackers at the homepage of the American embassy in Brazil. It took the diplomatic representation of the US a few hours before they noticed the defaced site and then took it off the air.
The site, found at www.embaixada-americana.org.br and http://brasilia.usembassy.gov/, was attacked this Tuesday night. The embassy turned off the site about 11 pm. A call to the embassy by the G1 site was answered by a security officer who didn't know anything about the defacing, but told the reporter he would warn his superiors about the problem.
On a black background the hackers posted a close-up of an eye sporting the Brazilian flag's colors and a young lady who seems to be saying something. The image was signed by a group calling itself FIREH4CK3R. They also left the message: Fighting for Brazil.
The homepage cache from Google snapped on October 24, had among other headlines: "US Embassy Announces Winners of the 2010 Youth Ambassadors Program," "President Barack Obama wins the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize," "F/A 18 Super Horne on the Move," "Secretary Hillary Clinton: A New Approach To Global Food Security and Hunger."
The main article on the page says, "Brasília, 2009 - On October 16, the 35 candidates selected to take part in the U.S. Embassy's Cultural Exchange Program, "Youth Ambassadors," were announced. This is the eighth edition of the program that will take the students to the United States for three weeks, from January 8 to 30, 2010.
"The experience of being a Youth Ambassador gives them the opportunity to expand their horizons at the same time as they help us strengthen the ties of friendship, respect and collaboration between Brazil and the United States," said the United States Embassy's Chargé d' Affaires, Lisa Kubiske during the ceremony at the Banco Bradesco's headquarters in São Paulo.
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