British tabloid The Sun's website 'hacked'

The hackers, called Lulz Security, which previously targeted companies including Sony, claimed responsibility via Twitter saying, "We have owned Sun/News of the World." Readers trying to access 'thesun.co.uk' were redirected to hoax news story with the headline 'Media moguls body discovered (sic)'. It suggested Murdoch was found after he "ingested a large quantity of palladium", the 'BBC' said.

"Murdoch, aged 80, has said to have ingested a large quantity of palladium before stumbling into his famous topiary garden late last night, passing out in the early hours of the morning," the hoax story added.

Then the viewers were redirected to Lulz Security's Twitter page, before News International took it down. After that site stopped working, The Sun's address was re-directing to LulzSec's Twitter account, which claimed to be displaying "hacked internal Sun staff data" in one entry. In another, the group said: "Arrest us. We dare you. We are the unstoppable hacking generation..."

News International said it was "aware" of what was happening but made no further comment.