The group also seems to be encouraging organizations that it hasn't hacked -- or announced it has hacked -- to contact them, though for what exactly is unclear. "Contact us before we take action and we will help you, and not release anything." This would be a highly unusual step for any organization to take to solicit advice from a shadowy hacker group if only because of concerns about being subject to some kind of extortion.

Ellen Messmer is senior editor at Network World, an IDG publication and website, where she covers news and technology trends related to information security.

in Network World's Wide Area Network section.