EDL forced to move website after hacking group's takeover

The English Defence League (EDL) has been forced to set up a new website after hackers seemingly took over and defaced their previous domain.

ZCompany Hacking Crew (ZHC), who claim to be affiliated with the Team Poison group, are understood to have taken control of the far right group's .org web address on Friday.

The hacking group has used the site's takeover to accuse EDL of misusing donated funds and is also threatening to publish details about supporters and donors.

"To the ordinary EDL members: these EDL admins lie to you. They have been using your donations and funds for their personal gain. But don't worry ZHC is here for the audit," the website states.

Latest Videos FromIT Pro

Watch full video here:

In a series of posts sent last night from the ZHC Twitter account, the group said it plans to publish the list of donors sometime today, but will not be including the details of any female members.

"The leak consists of names addresses and email IDs of 25 EDL donors," the group claimed.

In response, the EDL has moved its site to a new .net address, but the organisation said in a forum post that it hopes to move back.

A forum member also denied the site or its server was hacked, and that ZHC gained control by infiltrating a member's Gmail account and obtaining the .org site's login details.

"The site wasn't hacked, only the domain name ending in .org was hijacked. The contents of the site have not been compromised, nor have any names of donors, sponsors or any personal details been leaked," said one of the site's administrators.

"However, there are simple security precautions you can take to help avoid this problem in the future."

Caroline Donnelly was the news and analysis editor of IT Pro. Previously, she worked as a reporter at several B2B publications, including UK channel magazine CRN, and as features writer for local weekly newspaper, The Slough and Windsor Observer. She studied Medical Biochemistry at the University of Leicester and completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Magazine Journalism at PMA Training in 2006.