IS supporters using IP addresses once owned by UK government: Hackers

A hacking group has claimed Islamic State supporters spread propaganda on the internet using IP addresses sold by the UK government to two Saudi firms. 

Four online activists calling themselves VandaSec showed the Mirror Online news site details of IP addresses used by three IS supporters to access Twitter.

After Mirror Online's investigation, published on Tuesday, it was revealed that the Department of Work and Pensions had sold the IP addresses to two Saudi Arabian firms, Saudi Telecom and the Saudi-based Mobile Telecommunications Company.

They were then used by IS supporters to promote propaganda and recruit support. 

A Cabinet Office spokesperson told Mirror Online: "The government owns millions of unused IP addresses which we are selling to get a good return for hardworking taxpayers. 

"We have sold a number of these addresses to telecoms companies both in the UK and internationally to allow their customers to connect to the internet.

"We think carefully about which companies we sell addresses to, but how their customers use this internet connection is beyond our control."

VandaSec is one of a number of hacking groups who have begun an online vendetta against IS called #OpISIS.

Hackers target social media accounts, websites and email addresses belonging to suspected IS supporters and either hijack them or hit them with denial-of-service attacks, which cause the site to crash.