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hacktivism Last modified: Monday, August 25, 2003

Formed by combining “hack” with “activism,” hacktivism is the act of hacking into a Web site or computer system in order to communicate a politically or socially motivated message. Unlike a malicious hacker, who may disrupt a system for financial gain or out of a desire to cause harm, the hacktivist performs the same kinds of disruptive actions (such as a DoS attack) in order to draw attention to a cause. For the hacktivist, it is an Internet-enabled way to practice civil disobedience and protest. Sponsored listings IBM IT Connectivity - Make Your Infrastructure More Responsive. Get the IBM White Paper Cisco Network Security - Cisco's Self Defending Network Provides Proactive, Automated, Real-Time Threat Management. Secure Your Business with an SSL Certificate from Dotster - Dotster has a wide selection of SSL certificates that fit your budget. Protect your customers today!

Hacktivism: Protest or Petty Vandalism? This 2002 article examines both sides of the hacktivism debate and offers suggestions to companies for protecting against attacks. Hacktivism: The Ultimate in Gesture Politics Is hacktivism a legitimate form of protest?