Far-Right Hacker Touting Cyber Attacks on Leftist Sites Has Close Ties to Pentagon Influencer

On August 26, the U.S. State Department imposed severe sanctions on the Italian collective known as Autistici/Inventati, recognizing them as a "specially designated global terrorist" due to their role in providing digital infrastructure for violent Antifa cells. This collective, which hosts thousands of left-wing websites, including the platform NoBlogs.org, faced imminent threats of being taken offline.

Just two days later, hackers targeted NoBlogs.org itself, vandalizing the homepage and potentially gaining access to user data. The attack was quickly publicized on X by a far-right user named AstraRCE, who was subsequently promoted by right-wing accounts. It emerged that AstraRCE, whose real name is Jennica Pounds, had previously been a member of the Pentagon press corps until June, and returned to the Pentagon in late August as part of a recruitment effort by the Trump administration's Department of War.

Pounds and AstraRCE have a history of collaboration, frequently discussing hacking activities and celebrating one another's exploits. The connection between these individuals and the Pentagon raises concerns about the administration's approach to dissent, as commented on by Harlo Holmes, chief security programs officer at Freedom of the Press Foundation, who warned of a potential escalation in the government's crackdown on opposition.

Despite the lack of attribution, the hack succeeded in its intended goal of pressuring the A/I Collective to disband. The collective announced on September 6 that after 25 years, it would cease operations, citing threats to the safety of its members and their families, as well as the dangers of exposing themselves to manipulations by autocrats and agencies.