Anonymous jibe costs CEO his job

The chief of the HBGary Federal, the US information security firm behind a plan to destroy WikiLeaks on behalf of a major US bank, has resigned.

“I need to focus on taking care of my family and rebuilding my reputation,"  Aaron Barr told the Threat Post security blog on Monday.

"It’s been a challenge to do that and run a company.”

HBGary Federal had been in the spotlight ever since Anonymous hacked its web and email databases and leaked over 50,000 corporate documents on to the web.

One document detailed a plan to take down WikiLeaks by launching cyber-attacks against its infrastructure, bullying supportive journalists and leaking false information to it.

Three weeks ago Barr incited the rage of the Anonymous supporters when he bragged to the Financial Times that he knew the real identities of its senior members.

Anonymous supporters responded by hacking the company’s systems and its staff's Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.

The Bank of America, which is reportedly concerned that an upcoming WikiLeaks release is about it, quickly denied any involvement with the proposal. However, the proposal had been shown to the bank's law firm, Hunton & Williams.

Barr’s resignation came just days after comedian Stephen Colbert likened Barr's actions to inserting his genitals into a hornet's nest.

“Given that I’ve been the focus of much of bad press, I hope that, by leaving, HBGary and HBGary Federal can get away from some of that. I’m confident they’ll be able to weather this storm,” said Barr.