Hack attack hits Melbourne Film Festival
AAPAugust 01, 2009 11:50am+-PrintEmailShare
ORGANISERS of the Melbourne International Film Festival have been forced
to shut down online ticket sales after Chinese hackers booked out all
film sessions on its website.
The attack comes as part of a mounting campaign against the screening of
a documentary about exiled Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer.
Hackers broke into the festival's website soon after the launch of the
2009 festival, replacing festival information with the Chinese flag and
anti-Kadeer slogans.
Six Chinese-language movies have also been pulled out of the festival,
leaving organisers with a logistical headache and the fear that Chinese
film- makers will boycott the festival in future.
The festival's website reads: "Online sales are currently offline due to
a denial of service attack of Chinese origin."
Spokeswoman Asha Holmes said all sessions on the site had posted "sold-
out" messages about 9am (AEST) today.
She said it was not immediately known whether the rush on tickets was
real. But when the bookings were traced to Chinese websites it soon
became clear they were fake.
"It's under attack again," Ms Holmes said. "People have been unable to
book sessions at all."
Internet technicians have been unable to keep up with the speed of
"shopping carts" filling once the sessions have been cleared of the fake
bookings, she said.
Film buffs can still buy tickets at the festival's box office or over
the phone.