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Hacktivism examples 2018. Example: On Jan. Jul 9, 2018 · Looking back at the first six months of 2018, there haven't been as many government leaks and global ransomware attacks as there were by this time last year, but that's pretty much where the good See full list on imperva. Goals, types, motives. Jan 10, 2017 · “Hacktivism is becoming more and more of a serious issue,” said Srini Subramanian, a state cybersecurity principal at the consulting firm Deloitte & Touche LLP. This paper begins this project by laying the groundwork for a multi-lens approach to hacktivism and briefly sketching some dimensions for its normative assessment. Jul 1, 2024 · ABSTRACT Hacktivism represents the promotion in the cyber landscape of ideologically motivated agendas using hacking techniques. Who’s behind today’s hacktivism? Sep 1, 2019 · An example is the case of innocent black men arrested at a Philadelphia Starbucks, the hundreds of negative Yelp reviews given to Starbucks following the event, the subsequent firing of the Starbucks manager, and the nationwide store closure for racial sensitivity training (Disis, 2018; Hauser, 2018; Yelp, 2018a, Yelp, 2018b). Explore their missions, methods, hacks, and the impact on cybersecurity. These motivations are often political but can also be fueled by social, ethical, or other reasons. Mar 5, 2024 · What is Hacktivism? Stemming from the words “Hack” and “Activism”, hacktivism is generally understood as the illegal or legally ambiguous use of hacking techniques to achieve a specific political agenda. This study uses bibliometric analysis to map out the scholarly landscape of the field, identifying key trends, influential authors, and major thematic areas. what are hacktivists? 2 days ago · A Mere Catch-All Term? Hacktivism, especially in the context of Russian intelligence services, has served as a catch-all term to describe various activities in cyberspace originating from Russia that target the Russian state’s geopolitical adversaries. We wanted to investigate if specific aspects of morality and subjective support for nonviolent eco-hacktivism would predict a willingness to donate to a crowdfunding campaign. Explore its meaning, motivations, how it works, different types, and notable examples of cyber activism. In recent years, the Anonymous hacking group has claimed responsibility An example of this is the 2014 attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment, where North Korea wanted to advance its political agenda and, in part, to stop the release of the movie The Interview. [1][2] A form of Internet activism with roots in hacker culture and hacker ethics, its ends are often related to free speech, human rights, or Jun 6, 2020 · Hacktivism is a relatively new phenomenon which originated in the 1980s from the meeting of hackers’ communities and technological-enthusiast activists. Hacktivism is the act of hacking for socially motivated reasons or political gain. Nov 2, 2018 · In this paper the PESTEL framework was utilized to categorize hacktivism motivations for attack campaigns against certain companies, governments or industries. Hacktivism is the act of using hacking techniques to advance political or social causes. Definition Hacktivism is the term used to describe computer hacking. " More precisely, it is the use of computer technology to achieve a political agenda through legally ambiguous means. What is Hacktivism? Hacktivism is a combination of the words “hack” and “activism. To ensure the dimensionality of Feb 22, 2024 · In the past 2 years, we have observed a significant surge in hacktivism activity due to ongoing wars and geopolitical conflicts in various regions. Hacktivism combines ‘hacking’ with ‘activism’, where a person or organization uses hacking to fulfill a political or social agenda. Hacktivism is still Feb 13, 2018 · This article examines hacktivism/cyberactivism as forms of political mobilization, analyzing their utility in the human rights sphere as mediums with little accountability, using Anonymous and Wikileaks as case studies. May 27, 2022 · This article explains the meaning of hacktivism in detail, its workings and types, and illustrates the various examples of hacktivism. , online activism). Jun 29, 2021 · Many of us vaguely remember the word “ hacktivism ” from a decade ago. Guide to what is Hacktivism. 12 Rather than viewing what they do as breaking laws, state-sponsored actors maintain that they are acting in accordance with their own laws, and most have The IS-supporting hacktivist group, Anshar Caliphate Army, is part of the UCC collective. docx from TECH 230 at Excelsior University. Explore the realm of digital activism! Nov 7, 2023 · In a world where digital frontiers are the new battlegrounds, hacktivism has emerged as a powerful form of protest and expression. Where criminology looks at cybercrime it tends to treat it as a form of media and utilises traditional approaches to the study of the crime/media interface such as routine activities Jun 27, 2024 · Discover the major cyberattack examples from 2020 to 2022 and learn from real-world incidents. Feb 3, 2025 · Since Russia's latest escalation in 2022 with its invasion of Ukraine, hacktivism has surged, impacting both private and public sectors through DDoS attacks, defacements, and disinformation campaigns. Jul 31, 2025 · At the same time we see the rise of such controversial modern phenomenon as hacktivism. Mar 19, 2025 · Find out how hacktivists evolved from a digital nuisance to a real threat with examples and find how enterprise security strategies against hacktivism. They’ve targeted organizations like the Church of Scientology, governments, and corporations to fight censorship and corruption. These lawsuits alleged that the 2016 election had been disrupted in Trump’s favor by WikiLeaks. Despite research on the topic has provided some clues on how hacktivist networks develop, the processes behind their evolution remain mostly unknown. Hacktivism: definition and real cases. Sep 11, 2023 · Simply put, hacktivism is hacking and activism combined. Viewed in this way, hacktivism is a mixture of grassroots political protest and computer hacking. Anonymous and Wikileaks made global headlines, impacting conversations and elections, and then they seemed to disappear. The targets of hacktivism typically include: Government authorities Technology companies Financial groups Interest groups or After more than two decades of discussion, the concept of cyberterrorism remains plagued by confusion. Discover how to assess These examples vividly illustrate the varied nature of cyber espionage, underscoring its potential to significantly impact individuals, organizations, and even international relations. Jul 31, 2025 · Hacktivism is a growing phenomenon that combines hacking with political or social activism. Dec 26, 2019 · In this blog, a complement to our Biggest Incidents in Cybersecurity (in the Past 10 Years) infographic, we look back at some of the biggest moments in cybersecurity history from 2009-2019. Understand the impacts and protect your organization. Jul 23, 2025 · This is what hacktivism perfectly displays. Examples of techniques employed by hacktivists include website defacements, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks and leaking private information. For example, a botivist may prod participants towards political action or may respond to online trolling in social media venues (Salge and Karahanna, 2018). Targets Most hacktivists or hacktivist groups target large entities like governments, corporations, or individuals in positions of power. Learn how organizations can defend against politically motivated cyberattacks. When we learn of a cyber incident, we add it to the chronological order. Other examples include giving citizens access to government-censored websites or offering privacy-protected communication to threatened groups, like during the Arab Spring. The term is a combination of the word "hacker" and "activist," with origins dating back to the mid-1990s. Anonymous is a decentralized international activist and hacktivist collective and movement primarily known for its various cyberattacks against several governments, government institutions and government agencies, corporations, and the Church of Scientology. It grew in popularity in the late 1990s, becoming particularly famous with the advent of the collective Learn about hacktivism: its meaning, methods, different types, and real-life examples. Anonymous Sudan, founded in 2023, a hacktivist group that claims to act against anti-Muslim activities, but allegedly is Russian backed and neither linked to Sudan nor Anonymous. According to the 2019 Insikt Group Cyber Threat Analysis Whether in the case of Anonymous Malaysia exposing government vulnerabilities, or Myanmar Hackers protesting their corrupt governments, both of these examples demonstrate the power that hackers can exercise against huge organisations. During this campaign “Anonymous” organised on and offline protests, signifying that “hacktivism”, following EDT´s idea, had surpassed the online-offline borders further. This is a living document. Briefly define cyberterrorism. According to the 2019 Insikt Group Cyber Threat Analysis, mentions of hacktivism in mainstream media, under-ground forums, and technical blogs have decreased since 2016. This module is a resource for lecturers Hacktivism Information and communication technology have been used in campaigns for social or political change (i. Third, hacktivism (political purpose) is a significant factor, which can drive hackers to commit a crime. Looking with a human rights theory lens at changes in power distribution and vulnerabilities created by this new field, the article considers how traditional power structures Jan 21, 2022 · Since the first documented cyberattack in 1996, many famous DDoS attacks have brought down websites and lead to data theft or network infiltration. However, some say that they are an example of hacktivism because of their tendency to go after large companies or government as opposed to individuals. Learn the definition, what motivates them, how it works, types, and more. We focus on state actions, espionage, and cyberattacks where losses are more than a million dollars. May 5, 2025 · What are some hacktivism examples? Examples of hacktivism include the 2010 WikiLeaks data leaks, the Anonymous group’s attacks on government websites, and defacing websites to protest issues like censorship or corporate policies. This was a time before serious ransomware attacks dominated current cybersecurity concerns, when certain hacking Dec 27, 2022 · This new wave of hacktivism, which varies between groups and countries, comes with new tactics and approaches and, increasingly, is blurring lines between hacktivism and government-sponsored attacks. The group was first documented in June 2018 in closed Telegram groups in which it declared itself one of the groups operating within the UCC collective. Apr 13, 2025 · "The things that are happening now under the guise of hacktivism – perhaps they are independent or perhaps state-sponsored, but at a minimum states are intentionally looking the other way – these are sophisticated groups that are now doing things that are destructive," Evan Dornbush, a former NSA computer network operator, told The Register. One of the key advantages of hacktivism is its ability to amplify marginalized voices and bring attention to issues that may not receive mainstream coverage. Attacks are motivated by geopolitical or social developments across the globe, with the goal The post The ABSTRACT Hacktivism is a rising phenomenon in the cyber landscape combining elements of the hacking subculture with ideologically motivated agendas inspired both by traditional activism and by new elements of the digital culture. Despite several studies on the topic, it is still not completely clear what motivates an individual to engage in this type of collective action and if the reasons can Hacktivism, according to information security researcher Dorothy Denning, is "the marriage of hacking and activism. They also chose not to sell or ransom data like most other hackers. This operation highlighted how hacktivism can adapt to geopolitical conflicts, using digital tools to undermine adversaries and influence public perception on a global scale. e hacktivism in today’s environment. Apr 23, 2018 · Syria Other examples of patriotic hacktivism includes past attacks by the Syrian Electronic Army (SEA). Nov 1, 2015 · Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 2023 Introduction: The text departs from a theoretical review to distinguish two specific dynamics involving the use of commercial tools by activists on the one hand, and the development of autonomous technologies driven by social movements themselves on the other. Sep 22, 2015 · Abstract Traditional human rights concepts seem to fit Internet activity when it is broadly allied to conventional political mobilization and when it occurs in human rights-violating jurisdictions. It is a digital activity carried out for Jan 31, 2025 · January 31, 2025 From Protesters to Proxies How “hacktivists” are being co-opted by countries targeting the west Hacktivism—hacking to enact social or political change—was once the domain of radical activists and fringe movements. Over a two-month period between February and April 2023, more than 1,800 denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks were claimed by hacktivists across 80 Telegram channels according to recent data In practice, has hacktivism had any significant effect (positive and/or negative) on security in the international system? Guided by Keohane and Nye's pluralism theory, this paper discusses the implications that hacktivism has had for international security by analyzing the activities of Wikileaks, Anonymous and Edward Snowden. Language analysis revealed that the origin of this group is Indonesian. Hacktivism is a term used by many scholars to describe the marriage of hacking with political activism. Learn about this phenomenon through examples such as Anonymous and WikiLeaks. com This article dives into some compelling hacktivism examples that illustrate the impact these digital warriors have had on society. Learn how organizations protect against ideological threats like DDoS and data leaks. Oct 1, 2019 · The research, conducted by IBM, has been criticised by independent media for its lack of objective criteria in defining hacktivism - which allegedly left multiple examples of hacktivism out of the tally. May 29, 2023 · Hacktivism is a rising phenomenon in the cyber landscape combining elements of the hacking subculture with ideologically motivated agendas inspired both by traditional activism and by new elements The paper explores the phenomenon of hacktivism, proposing that it can be classified as a form of civil disobedience in the digital age. Oct 2, 2023 · Hacktivism, a hybrid between hacking and activism, is a form of protest in which hackers utilize their technical skill to fight injustice. #OpsWakeUp21 by Hacktivist Feb 14, 2025 · ABSTRACT The proliferation of Internet Communication Technologies (ICT) has prompted scholarly interest in the role of ICT in facilitating ideologically motivated hacking, particularly in the domains of cyberterrorism and hacktivism. These individuals or groups often see themselves as “virtual vigilantes,” working to expose fraud, wrongdoing or corporate greed, draw attention to human rights violations In response to arguments like these, proponents of hacktivism point out that legality is not synonymous with ethics. S. Our study is based on empirical evidence: of thirty-three hacktivism attack campaigns in manifesto level. Jun 9, 2023 · Hacktivism: The mix between IT and activism We explore what hacktivism is and look at some well-known examples of this powerful form of activism, so you know what lies behind the digital activism. Here’s an overview of the concept and activism groups like Anonymous, to name at least one. Jun 6, 2025 · Understand hacktivism methods, motivations, and examples. Below, we explore a chronological timeline of Anonymous’s most notable hacks, shedding light on the motives and outcomes of Hacktivism is a social or political activist plan that is carried out by breaking into and wreaking havoc on a secure computer system. In contrast, tech publication Wired claims hacktivism is actually on the rise - it’s just more ineffective than ever. Later it published the hacked data online as Ashley Madison did not fulfil their demand of shutting Hacktivism (a blend of the words ‘hacking’ and ‘activism’) is a form of political activism that employs computer hacking techniques to promote a political or social cause. Jul 31, 2024 · What is a Hacktivist? A hacktivist uses hacking methodologies, such as DDoS and other cyberattacks, as a form of activism. Illustrate examples of each in current events Jan 12, 2020 · Another highly visible example of hacktivism has be en the Cypherpunk movement (Levy 2002), which from the 1980s onwards sought to wield crypt ography as a weapon of freedom, aut onomy, Oct 24, 2010 · Although there have definitely been isolated incidents of hacktivism in the past decade or so (see for example the cases of Swartz and Auern-heimer in Karagiannopoulos 2018), Anonymous has dominated the hacktivist scene in the past 10–15 years and further popularised hack-tivism, but also challenged the organisational, tactical and legal This is a partial list of notable hacker groups, in alphabetical order: Anonymous, originating in 2003, Anonymous was created as a group for people who fought for the right to privacy. There has been a long-lasting cyber espionage campaign involving China against the United States. These individuals or groups often see themselves as “virtual vigilantes,” working to expose fraud, wrongdoing or corporate greed, draw attention to human rights violations Nov 7, 2024 · These aren’t the only forms of hacktivism, but they are the most frequently used. ” Some argue that DoSing and website vandalism is simply misadventure, for example. It would have given the DOJ the go ahead to start placing court orders/”take down notices” on many websites. Define hacktivism. It is a digital activity carried out for Jul 30, 2019 · Hacktivism is a relatively new phenomenon which originated in the 1980s from the meeting of hackers’ communities and technological-enthusiast activists. This is evident considering “the lifeblood of the hacker ethic has always been the freedom of information and the full de tization o Mar 10, 2025 · Learn what a hacktivist is, how hacktivism works, and its impact on society. Nov 28, 2024 · In 2018 the Democratic National Committee filed several multi-million-dollar lawsuits, two of which were against WikiLeaks and Julian Assange. It is a combination of the terms “hacking” and “activism”, and it refers to online activist tactics and strategies that are largely derived from the history of individuals engaged in direct action, resistance, and anti-globalisation campaigns (Delmas, 2018; Huschle, 2002). Feb 4, 2025 · Politically motivated hacktivism aims to influence government policies Some hacktivist groups seek to influence government policies or political outcomes, though such attacks are less common than ideological ones. This blog discusses hacktivism, its types, history, impact, difference between hackers and hacktivists, legal & ethical considerations, and future. Oct 24, 2024 · An example of hacktivism is a denial of service (DoS) attack, which shuts down a system to block customer access. WikiLeaks: While not a hacktivist group itself, WikiLeaks has been involved in publishing leaked documents from hacktivists. Intelligence Community’s recently released 2018 Worldwide Threat Assessment. Dec 20, 2024 · Examples of Hacktivism can be seen throughout the world including Belarusian cyber groups attempting to slow Russian troops in opposition of the ongoing war against Ukraine as well as during the Hacktivism, a blend of “hacking” and “activism,” represents the use of computer systems and networks to promote a political or social agenda. Hacktivism (or hactivism; a portmanteau of hack and activism) is the use of computer-based techniques such as hacking as a form of civil disobedience to promote a political agenda or social change. This article presents the result of an integrative review which maps the development of the term and which situates the epistemic communities that have shaped the debate. . Hacktivism is alive and well, seeing a surge in the 2020s as the View TECH 230-M6D1. Dec 5, 2024 · Is it hacktivism Most argue that LulzSec leaned toward real, illegal hacking more often than not. As global conflicts and political tensions continue to drive cyber activism, businesses, governments and cybersecurity professionals must remain alert. They justified a hack and subsequent leak of a 200GB database by claiming that the Feb 13, 2025 · In contrast, definitions of hacktivism frequently highlight the use of hacking techniques as a form of protest or civil disobedience (Jordan & Taylor, 2004; Von Busch & Palmås, 2006), where the primary aim is to promote a political or social cause rather than inflict harm (see Delmas, 2018; Deseriis, 2017; Edyvane & Kulenovic, 2017). Hacktivism combines the term of “hack” with the term of ‘activism” (Choi, 2015). Hacktivist groups often consist of self-proclaimed patriots who support broader Russian geopolitical goals with their activities in Dec 1, 2022 · This year has seen an enormous increase in the number and claimed impact of hacktivist attacks on critical infrastructure and enterprises operating in critical services. In the Examples of Hacktivism Anonymous One of the most famous hacktivist groups is Anonymous, or Anon. Oct 4, 2023 · This compromises the government officials and creates deception by hacking into privileged accounts to impersonate the individual (Anderson 2018). Does that mean our intelligence agencies believe that terrorists might deliver a spectacular attack via cyberspace? In June of 1982, a Soviet gas pipeline in Siberia exploded with such spectacular force that In fact, they attack famous organizations in private sectors or government computer/network systems in hopes of maximizing media coverage of the attack. It involves the use of hacking techniques to spread a message, expose corruption, or promote a cause. This term has gained significant traction over the past two decades as individuals and groups leverage digital tools to advocate for change. May 2, 2025 · The global cybersecurity landscape is witnessing an alarming paradigm shift as state-sponsored hacktivism attacks have surged dramatically in recent months, blurring the traditional boundaries between politically motivated activism and sophisticated nation-state operations. It involves the use of digital tools to conduct online protests, deface websites, and disrupt digital services. Hacktivism is a new type of activism. Nov 14, 2020 · The following section will discuss the transition of hacktivism into the modern era and will primarily analyse Anonymous and its impact in the shaping of the contemporary hacktivism landscape. If you are not redirected, click here. Explore tactics, examples, key motivations. This timeline lists significant cyber incidents since 2006. Read now! Discover what hacktivism is, how it works, and why it matters. A total of 350 participants responded to our cross-sectional study. This tumultuous environment has led digital activists to confront adversaries supporting the opposing side. Often these occur in large numbers, for example, a large amount of document leaks all at once. However, despite these reductions in activity Jun 28, 2024 · The hacktivism landscape continues to be a focus area in our research, and you can look forward to more publications that will provide more comprehensive coverage on several hacktivist groups, studies of real-life examples of their attacks, and discussions of our observations on how these groups align themselves in ideological divisions. Traditional concepts are strained, however, when Internet activity takes the unconventional form of ‘hacktivism’, and it occurs in human-rights respecting jurisdictions. The reemergence of hacktivism is largely driven by the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the war in Gaza. Nov 7, 2023 · Recent Examples of Hacktivism The current landscape of hacktivism can be described as chaotic, a situation exacerbated by the Russian-Ukraine conflict. These cyberattacks align with geopolitical events. Notorious groups like Anonymous, Discover the 13 most notorious hacker groups in history, from Anonymous to Lazarus Group. This complexity is further emphasized by instances in which state-sponsored activity and hacktivism have operated in concert. M6D1: Hacktivism and Cyberterrorism 1. Objectives: The objective of this article is to define various logics of digital activism Recent example of hacktivism include Anonymous, an online community whose self-identified members engage in disruptive activities using electronic civil disobedience techniques in support of digital freedoms. Hacktivism (a mix of "hacking" and "activism") is when people use computer skills, like hacking, to support political or social causes. e. Impact stole the customer information profiles along with other personal and sensitive information. Since the war against Ukraine began, we have witnessed a notable mobilization of non-state and state-backed actors alike, forming new groups or joining Mar 11, 2025 · Hacker groups exploit digital vulnerabilities to achieve goals ranging from financial theft to political activism. Feb 1, 2023 · CyberTalk has moved You will be redirected in 5 seconds. According to the 2019 Insikt Group Cyber Threat Analysis, mentions of Jun 14, 2013 · * There are many hackers who disagree sharply over what qualifies as “hacktivism. But why look further than the understanding of hacktivism as the new civil disobedience? Sorell, 2015; Steinmetz, 2016; Webber and Yip, 2018). Formed in 2008, Anonymous rose to fame for their attacks on the Church of Scientology, which first involved leaking private video footage of celebrity members and later involved a DDoS attack on the organization’s website. This gap in the literature prompted us to research the role of online/offline social relationships and of the Mar 5, 2025 · Examples of hacktivists groups and attacks With hacktivism a growing threat, as per the report by Orange, there have been some notable hacktivist groups and cases. May 26, 2025 · The Future of Hacktivism Hacktivism has evolved from an ideological movement into a multifaceted cyber threat with the potential for real-world consequences. These models provide context and predictability to understand the impact of hack reduce social chaos, but increase it. It grew in popularity in the late 1990s, becoming particularly famous with the advent of the collective Apr 4, 2024 · Hacktivism represents a dynamic intersection of technology and activism, where individuals or groups leverage digital tools to advance social or political causes. But independent hacktivist groups are becoming a rarity as nation-states like Russia, China, and Iran increasingly use such organizations as covert tools to Hacktivism tactics may include leaking information, defacing websites, or launching DDoS attacks. After critically assessing existing accounts and highlighting the key ethical, social, and legal dimensions at stake in Since 2022 reports of “hacktivism” have been spiking marking a notable resurgence in this type of attack. Learn how hacktivism works, and how to protect from harmful attacks perpetrated by malicious actors. Dec 12, 2023 · With all of the above in mind, we can define hacktivism as a combination of sociopolitical activism and the use of hacking techniques for political strife (Karagiannopoulos, 2018). The website was hacked by a group calling itself ‘The Impact Team’ in July 2015. Aug 18, 2022 · As internet usage has expanded across the globe, is legitimate internet activism considered cyberterrorism or hacktivism? fl position of hacktivism (Gillen 2012; Goode 2015; Himma 2007; Karagiannopoulos 2013, 2018; Li 2013; O’Malley 2013); and the speci c techniques used fi by hacktivists (Sauter 2014). Hacktivists often Apr 9, 2025 · What is hacktivism? Learn about its origins, methods like DDoS attacks, and how it’s challenging ethics in the digital age. From high-profile data breaches to online protests, each instance showcases a unique approach to activism in the age of information. Through coordinated online actions, hacktivists can shine a light on injustices, spark public discourse Sep 9, 2022 · Known hacktivist activity is reportedly subsiding. Hacktivism is often defined as the use of legal and/or illegal methods to achieve social and/or political objectives within a collective action setting (Banks, 2017; George and Leidner, 2019; PytlikZillig et al. [1] Bangladesh Black Hat Hackers Jan 13, 2025 · Hacktivism offers a platform for individuals to raise awareness and advocate for social and political causes through digital means. 11 Similar to the actions of hackers, hacktivism in cludes activities conducted online and covertly that seek to reveal, manipulate, or otherwise exploit vulnerabilities in computer operating systems and other software. These types of campaigns have involved the signing of online petitions, hashtag campaigns, creating a campaign website, recruiting volunteers, obtaining funds from members and supporters, and organizing and planning Definition Hacktivism is the term used to describe computer hacking. Through the analysis of these examples these groups, rather than more general hacker images like hooded figures. Discover famous hacktivist groups and real-world examples. Of course, the United States’ history is riddled with examples of legal, but immoral, practices – such as the enslavement of African Americans and subsequent segregation from public life. poster of the Anshar Caliphate Army group Jul 9, 2018 · The case deals with the ethical issues involved in hacking of Ashley Madison, a website promoting infidelity. Noname Noname is a pro-Russian hacktivist group that was formed in March 2022 and claimed responsibility for over 6,000 cyberattacks on Ukrainian, American and European government agencies, as well as media and private companies What is hacktivism? Hacktivism is a form of online activism that uses hacking or computer security techniques to promote a social or political cause. Apr 29, 2013 · Whether state-sponsored or an especially virulent example of nationalist hacktivism, the cyberassault against Estonia amounts to one of the largest DDoS attacks in history. Here, we explain the concept with its examples, pros, cons, types, and how to prevent it. SOPA, or Stop Online Piracy Act, sought to greatly increase government control over what was put online. Follow this guide to learn more about hacktivism, common motivations, and famous examples in the news. Aug 8, 2024 · Hacktivism, a form of computer hacking, is a political activism that uses technology to promote a social or political agenda. Then, the targets of these campaigns were analysed and studied accordingly. The Anonymous group, a decentralized collective of hacktivists, has left a profound impact on the digital world through a series of high-profile cyber operations. Between 2015 and 2018 “Anonymous”, according to IBM X-Force, was responsible for 45% of all “hacktivist” attacks. Jun 21, 2024 · What is hacktivism? A portmanteau of the words hack and activitism, the term ‘hacktivism’ refers to hacking activities performed in the digital world (cyber space) in order to achieve social or political objectives. Active hacktivist groups publicly conducting cyber campaigns have also declined during this period (Insikt Group, 2019). Introduction Known hacktivist activity is reportedly subsiding. Many attacks target unmanaged devices such as Internet of Things (IoT) and operational technology (OT) equipment. ” Hacktivists engage in disruptive or damaging activity on behalf of a cause, be it political, social or religious in nature. Jan 14, 2025 · Examples of a nation-state threat actor operating under the guise of hacktivism date back at least a decade, but such instances have increased markedly in scale and frequency since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars. 18 2012, Google, Wikipedia, and Craigslist, some of the most highly visited websites, “blacked out” their homepages in protest against the proposed SOPA laws. Nevertheless, Hacktivism remains a problematic yet effective tool for revealing government secrets, undermining corporate entities, or advocating for digital liberty. These acts range from social justice campaigns to exposing corruption and combating oppressive regimes. 2In other examples cited above, the hooded image is typically used for cybercrime or hacktivism issues, with the exception What is Hacktivism? Hacktivism is a combination of the words “hack” and “activism. Hacktivism is the act of hacking for politically or socially motivated purposes. Anonymous originated in 2003 on the imageboard 4chan representing the concept of many online and offline community users simultaneously Examples of hacktivism Anonymous: Anonymous is one of the most famous hacktivist groups. It involves using technology to disrupt or manipulate systems or networks to make a statement, expose information, raise awareness or exert pressure on a specific target. However, widespread popular use of the term indicates a much broader definition. Learn about the most notorious hacktivist groups, the types of targets they typically choose, and the impact they can have on businesses and governments. A botivist may issue calls to action, reinforce values, ask for funds, communicate news, or leverage a group’s efforts for greater impact (Savage, Monroy-Hernández, & Hollerer, 2016). For example, “SiegedSec” targeted Project 2025, an initiative promoting conservative policies. These hybrid threats combine the ideological zeal of hacktivism with the advanced persistent threat capabilities Feb 16, 2018 · By Lee Roberts, February 16, 2018 Cyber-based terrorist operations number among the threats named in the U. SEA is a group of pro-Syrian, pro-Assad hackers who’s relationship with the Syrian government is unknown. As 2024 saw over 50 countries holding elections Mar 20, 2023 · ABSTRACT Hacktivism, the use of cyber-attacks for a social or political agenda, is becoming increasingly more common. Jan 15, 2025 · These examples demonstrate the inherent complexity in how we define and group certain types of cyber activity, whilst also showing how state influence operations can potentially masquerade as hacktivism. In this article we determine the meaning of hacktivism, study its followers’ goals and tactics by illustrating the examples of various international hacktivist groups activities and their impact on politics, national security and decision-making process. These cases surpass hacktivism as they lead to arrests and identified as criminal. The Apr 13, 2025 · "The things that are happening now under the guise of hacktivism – perhaps they are independent or perhaps state-sponsored, but at a minimum states are intentionally looking the other way – these are sophisticated groups that are now doing things that are destructive," Evan Dornbush, a former NSA computer network operator, told The Register. Real-life hacktivism examples In the late 1990s, a hacktivist group called the Hong Kong Blondes helped Chinese citizens access blocked websites by identifying holes in the Chinese internet system and targeting them. The latest news about HacktivismMuddyWater’s DarkBit ransomware cracked for free data recovery Cybersecurity firm Profero cracked the encryption of the DarkBit ransomware gang's encryptors Hacktivism is the act of hacking for socially motivated reasons or political gain. Yet, there have been very few distinctly criminological studies of hacktivism (notable exceptions are: Holt, Freilich & Chermak, 2017; Bodford & Kwan, 2018). These studies have generated a rich literature around the phenomenon providing a lot of material for further investigations in a variety of other elds. This article sheds light on the world of hacktivists, exploring their motives, tactics, and real-world examples. Our guide delves into the world of hacktivism, exploring the motivations, tactics, and potential consequences of these attacks. Hacktivism targets digital infrastructure to protest injustice, blending cyber disruption with political agendas and forcing new challenges in attribution and response. These examples illustrate the breadth of hacktivism, from targeting corporations and governments to supporting social movements. Hacktivists often target governments, corporations, and other organizations to bring attention to their cause. Jan 22, 2025 · Learn about hacktivism, socially and politically motivated cyberattacks by groups like Anonymous and WikiLeaks. Apr 7, 2025 · Hacktivism is a sort of social or political activism that includes breaking into a solid PC framework and unleashing devastation. It's a type of online protest that comes from hacker culture and is often connected to causes like free speech, human rights, or open access to information. The author discusses various instances of hacktivism, including actions by figures such as Edward Snowden and groups like Anonymous, arguing that these actions share commonalities with traditional civil disobedience. , 2015; Sorell, 2015; Steinmetz, 2016; Webber and Yip, 2018). vvy xfpcx sasmxg qzyacm nqjsb cqphoqn qldw snc nijkil ykckejzru