Attrition (website)

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}

Attrition is an information security-related website, created in October, 1998,{{Cite web|title=WHOIS search results|url=https://www.godaddy.com/whois/results.aspx?checkAvail=1&domain=attrition.org|access-date=2021-09-01|website=www.godaddy.com}} which used to be updated at least weekly by an all-volunteer staff. Until 21 May 2001,{{cite news | work = CNET Networks | title = Defaced-site archive retires | author = Robert Lemos | date = 21 May 2001 | url = http://news.cnet.com/2100-1001-258006.html }} Attrition maintained the largest mirror of defaced (or cracked) websites available on the World Wide Web. The defacement mirror has since ceased updating.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,43991,00.html |magazine=Wired |title=Attrition Offs Its Hacker Monitor |date=22 May 2001 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050525011022/http://www.wired.com/news/print/0%2C1294%2C43991%2C00.html |archivedate=25 May 2005 |df=dmy }} The site contains a variety of information, including movie and music reviews, poetry, and security tips covering topics like forensics, data theft, and security advisories.{{cite web|url=http://attrition.org/security/advisory/ |title=Index of /security/advisory |publisher=Attrition.org |date=}}

In 2001, attrition.org was given a cease and desist order by lawyers of MasterCard for posting parodies of its "Priceless" advertising campaign, which they claim violated copyright law.{{cite web | url=https://www.lumendatabase.org/notices/222 | title=Re: MasterCard/Infringement by attrition.org | date=4 June 2001 | publisher=Chilling Effects (now Lumen) | accessdate=31 March 2018 }} An argument between attrition.org and MasterCard ensued, resulting in their communications and one final "Priceless" parody being posted online.{{Cite web|title=Wrath of the Impotent: Mastercard|url=https://attrition.org/news/mc/|access-date=2021-09-01|website=attrition.org}}

In 2006, Republican communications aide Todd Shriber attempted to hire Attrition to crack his former university's website.{{Cite web|title=Going Postal|url=https://attrition.org/postal/z/033/0871.html|access-date=2021-09-01|website=attrition.org}} Shriber was then sacked from his job for attempting to solicit a hacker to inflate his GPA.{{cite web|last=McNamara|first=Paul|date=22 December 2006|title=Attempt to hire hackers costs press aide his job|url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/919112/data-center-attempt-to-hire-hackers-costs-press-aide-his-job.html|access-date=|website=Network World|publisher=IDG}}

Attrition formerly hosted several electronic mailing lists relating to information security, such as InfoSec News. It also maintained the Data Loss Database, which recorded company experienced data breaches.{{cite news | work = Forbes | title = The Cybercriminal Inside | author = Andy Greenberg | date = 7 October 2007 | url = https://www.forbes.com/2007/07/10/computer-security-internal-biz-biztech-cx_ag_0710mcafee.html }}