Key Highlights:
- Celestia(TIA) founder Mustafa Al-Bassam unveils his exhilarating teenage hacking past, spotlighting a live radio hack on the Westboro Baptist Church, distinct from the widely known CIA incident, shedding light on his transformation from hacker to the founder of a modular data availability network, Celestia.
- Mustafa Al-Bassam shares his favorite hack from his LulzSec days. Recounting the Westboro Baptist Church exploit on a live radio show. Emphasizing the legal repercussions faced at the age of 18, and guiding readers to a book featuring his involvement with the hacker group Anonymous.
- Explore Al-Bassam’s journey from a notorious hacker, alias tFlow, involved in cyberattacks on entities like the CIA and NHS. To his current role as the founder of Celestia, a data availability network. Uncover the complexities of LulzSec’s brief existence, Bitcoin-fueled activities, and Al-Bassam’s pivot towards legitimate endeavors.
Celestia founder, Mustafa Al-Bassam revisits his teenage hacking exploits. Shedding light on an exhilarating moment involving the Westboro Baptist Church during a live radio show.
Mustafa Al-Bassam’s Journey:
In an exclusive recount, Al-Bassam reminisces about his hacking days with the LulzSec group. Singling out the Westboro Baptist Church as his most cherished exploit. Contrary to popular belief, he clarifies that the CIA incident was a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack, not a hack.
Al-Bassam directs his followers to a book featuring his involvement with the hacker group Anonymous. The revelation comes in response to recent mentions of his past exploits. In a previous interview with This Is Money, he highlighted the Westboro Baptist Church hack as his favorite. Alongside assisting activists in Tunisia against government surveillance.
Legal Consequences:
At the tender age of 18, Al-Bassam, along with three others, pleaded guilty to multiple cyberattacks. Including the CIA, UK’s Serious Organised Crime Agency, Sony, News International, and the NHS. LulzSec, comprising Al-Bassam (alias tFlow), Jake Davis, and Ryan Ackroyd, operated briefly before their arrest. Bitcoin donations fueled the group’s activities.

Post-Hacker Era:
Reflecting on his turbulent past, Al-Bassam, now the founder of Celestia, a modular data availability network, emphasizes the transformation from hacking to legitimate endeavors. Celestia’s token, TIA, launched post-airdrop in October 2023, currently approaching $20, not far from its all-time high.
Conclusion:
Mustafa Al-Bassam’s journey from a notorious hacker in the LulzSec group to the founder of Celestia has been a fascinating evolution. Delving into his teenage exploits, particularly the live radio hack on the Westboro Baptist Church, Al-Bassam shares insights into a past marked by cyber warfare and activism. The legal consequences faced at a young age and subsequent transformation into a leader in the tech space underscore the complexity of his narrative.
As Al-Bassam reflects on his hacking days and the founding of Celestia, the story becomes a testament to growth, resilience, and the dynamic intersections between the worlds of cybersecurity and legitimate innovation.
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