The cyberactivist collective that goes by the name of Antisec says it has stolen thousands of emails, passwords and credit card details from Stratfor, a US-based security firm.

They say the information was easily taken because the company, whose clients include the US defence department, did not encrypt it.

The group also claims it used credit-card details of big businesses to post donations to various charities, but individuals are complaining of being targeted as well.

Al Jazeera's Alan Fisher reports from Washington.