As we inch closer to November 5, expect to see a bigger-than-usual rise in successful hacking attacks against some of the Web's more well-known and popular properties. You know, that whole, "Remember, remember" bit from the movie V for Vendetta which, itself, is sometimes used as a stereotypical representation of the hacking world in total. Or, at least, the Occupy movement.

Case in point: NBC, which suffered a hacking attack early this morning by an individual (or group of individuals) running under the name, "Pyknic." According to a report from Deadline's Dominic Patten, the site defacing allegedly began under NBC's portal sites for Saturday Night Live, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. The attack eventually managed to make its way to the main NBC page, however, and numerous portions of the overall site were down (or defaced) for hours.

NBC's videos page was completely taken over, replaced with a looping audio clip in the background and the following text repeated numerous times: "REMEMBER, REMEMBER THE FIFTH OF NOVEMBER, THE GUNPOWDER TREASON AND PLOT. I KNOW OF NO REASON WHY THE GUNPOWDER TREASON SHOULD EVER BE FORGOT."

Additionally, the site's attackers claimed to have stolen user names and passwords from NBC's site, but NBC hasn't officially verified the these claims, nor suggested which of its users might be affected if the attackers' claims are actually true.

According to BetaBeat, "Pyknic" – or at least, an attacker or attackers posing as the same NBC hacker – also ended up defacing a popular Lady Gaga fan portal, gagadaily.com. Both that, and NBC's sites, appear to be fully operational at the time of this article's writing.

While the images and messaging thrown up on the NBC and Lady Gaga sites might indicate that Anonymous was behind the attack – given that the Guy Fawkes mask and related messaging are often used as symbols of the hacktivist group – there's no indication so far that Anonymous has claimed credit for the attacks on any of its usual communication channels.

There's also no indication that there was an overall message or motive for the attacks beyond annoyance and simple defacement. Happy November Fifth?

Guy Fawkes (also known as Guido Fawkes) originally hailed from York in England. This is interesting for two reasons. First, Fawkes was born into a family that was loyal to the Church of England and not to Catholics. Second, this is fascinating because modern day Guidos now hail from Jersey as opposed to York.

It was Fawkes' step father who was Catholic. Fawkes himself later rather violently converted. With his new found religious zeal, Fawkes decided to fight for the cause of Catholicism in Spain against the Protestant Dutch. This was a conflict that was known as the Eighty Years War. Fawkes did not serve all Eighty Years of the conflict.

After his part in the conflict, Fawkes would return to England. Elizabeth I had passed on and James I was coronated as the King of England. There was hope among the Catholics that James would return England to Catholicism or at the very least be kinder to Catholics.

This hope was based on the fact that James' mother was in fact Catholic. No one bothered to check on whether James actually liked his mother. There was a general sense of disappointment among Catholics that James decided continued persecution was a rousing good idea. Around this time, Fawkes came to the notice of Robert Catesby. Catesby and around eleven of his friends were convinced that the woman third in line to the throne (ironically Princes Elizabeth) was best suited to be Queen and restore the Catholics to a status above 'collecting piss orally' and 'whipped openly in the streets.' Fawkes (who seemed up for any type of zealous insanity) was all aboard.