"AoL HacKeD"
"AoL HacKeD"
"AoL HacKeD"
"AoL HacKeD"

Sunday, September 6, 1998. The day the chat stood still. Users clicking AOL's "Find a chat" icon report that it produced a list of chat rooms in which every room had exactly the same name...

Two days later, hackers had hit AOL's "NetNoir" area -- for the third time -- and two weeks earlier, they attacked AOL's "Real Fans" area.

With 13 million users, several would inevitably witness the chat room hack -- and five AOL Watch readers came forward to share their recollections. One was reminded that, once again, AOL's performance issues are completely out of the subscribers' hands. "Nothing I could do about it," they complained...

This marks the culmination of an ongoing streak in which at least 34 different AOL content areas have been affected since April of 1997. The hackers -- and even some subscribers -- are publicly opining that AOL is powerless to prevent the assaults. Perhaps AOL feels that keeping coverage out of the mainstream media is enough....

The two images below were taken at different points during the evening. Next time you visit AOL's chat rooms, remember the day the chat stood still.

Click here for another image

Other Recent Attacks

NetNoir (again!!)	(9/8/98)
Chat room listing	(9/6/98)
Real Fans Sports Network	(8/21/98)
ACLU	(5/18/98)
Member Directory	(??? through 4/10/98)
Traveller's Advantage	(1/26/98)
NetNoir (again!)	(12/29/97)
NetNoir	(12/9/97)
Roto-Zone	(10/28/97)
Extreme Fans	(10/28/97)
PC Hardware forum	(10/26/97)
AOL Live	(10/11/97)
Reebok	(10/11/97)
Lifestyles channel	(10/11/97)
OnQ / GLCF	(10/11/97)
Steve Case's Update	(10/11/97)
ABC KidZine	(10/11/97)
Jewish Community	(10/11/97)
Geraldo Rivera	(10/3/97 through 10/4/97)
MoneyWhiz	(9/27/97)
Business Week	(9/18/97)
Digital Cities San Diego	(8/16/97)
Spin magazine	(8/10/97)
Academic Assistance Center	6/29/97)
Fantasy Realm	(6/23/97)
Kids Kicks	(6/19/97)
Thrive	(6/12/97 through 6/13/97)
Stats Store	(5/17/97 through 5/19/97)
AOL Glossary	(5/9/97 through 5/23/97)
The New York Times	(4/29/97)
FTP sites of several AOL employees	(4/26/97 through 4/28/97)
GameWiz (Again!)	(4/25/97)
GameWiz	(4/4/97)
The Hub	(3/31/97)

In addition, hackers hit AOL's Court TV area in November of 1996.