The CIA website is now back online following a DDoS attack reportedly perpetrated by the hacktivist group Anonymous. This is the latest attack in a series of assaults carried out against US government websites.

­­Information that the website was down was originally relayed by the OccupyCarlisle account. The UGNazi hacker group has also claimed responsibility for the attack.

Just one week ago Brazilian hacktivist Havittaja claimed responsibility for a DDoS attack on the websites of the US Department of Justice and the CIA. Other Anonymous hacktivists later joined their "Brazilian brother" and brought down two MI6 websites.

The CIA website was also downed by Anonymous on two occasions before that, in February 2012 and back in June 2011.