This document discusses digital activism and hacktivism. It defines digital activism as using technology over large distances to effect political or social change through grassroots campaigns. Hacktivism is separated from digital activism by involving computer crimes like unauthorized access or impairment of computer systems. Early examples of hacktivism included attacks in 1989 promoting anti-nuclear messages. Anonymous emerged in the 2000s and became politicized through protests around Scientology in 2008. Major hacktivist operations since then have included Payback targeting copyright enforcement and Darknet targeting child pornography sites. Lessons from these events have led to guidance for underground communities on operational security.

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3. The policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to
bring about political or social change.
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4. “Use ofTechnology over large distances to effect change.”
“Grassroots activists using networked technologies for social
and political change campaigns.”
“Goal of Political or Social Change + DigitalTechnology.”
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5.  Maps & Maptivism
 QR Codes
 File-Sharing
 Media Hijacking
 Trend a hashtag
 Search Engine
Optimisation
 Livestreaming
 Check-Ins
 Self-Surveillance
 Flash Mobs
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8. Digital Activism is separated from Hacktivism by Computer Crime
 Computer Crime is well defined:
▪ UnauthorisedAccess to computer material
▪ Unauthorised access with intent to commit further offences
▪ Unauthorised acts with intent to impair the operation of a computer
▪ Making, supplying or obtaining article for use in computer misuse offences
Hactkivism is separated from CyberTerrorism byTerrorism
 Terrorism in this context is well defined
▪ Anything designed to interfere with or seriously disrupt an electronic system
and
▪ Use or threat to influence government or intimidate the public and
▪ Use or threat is made for the purpose of advancing a political or ideological
cause
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9.  Software distribution
 Website mirroring
 Defacements
 Typosquatting
 Redirects
 Denial of Service Attacks (DOS)
 Web Sit-ins
 Email Bombs
 Distributed Denial of Service Attacks (DDOS)
 Opt-In Botnets
 Malware Botnets
 Doxing
 SWATting
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11. Denial of Service
 An attempt by an attacker to deny a victims
services to it’s users.
1. Exploit that causes victim to fail
2. Resource exhaustion:
▪ Network Bandwidth
▪ Computing Power
▪ Memory
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12. Distributed Denial of Service
 A Dos launched simultaneously from multiple points
 Usually a resource exhaustion attack
 Attackers now build networks (Botnets) of compromised computers
(zombies or loads) from which to launch their attacks
 Large Botnets are now available for hire or to buy for pocket money.
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1000 Loads 5000 Loads 10,000 Loads
World Mix $25 $110 $200
EU Mix $50 $225 $400
DE,CA, GB $80 $350 $600
USA $120 $550 $1000

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18. First known Hacktivism recorded in 1989
 Worms Against Nuclear Killers
 Australian Hacktivists
 InfectedVMS DECNet systems
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19. Formed in 2003 from the
4chan /b/ message
board
Since 2004 4chan is a
forced anonymous
community
The Btards Initially
focused on
pranks, trolling and
griefing
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20.  Anonymous were ‘politicised’ in 2008 following a
series of actions involving the Church of
Scientology.
 Actions inlcuded:
 Physical protests
▪ Guy Fawkes masks
 Prank calls
 Black faxes
 DDoS attacks
▪ Low Orbit Ion Cannon (LOIC)
 IRC channels used to coordinate attacks.
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21. Operation Payback (2010)
 DDoS attacks on the Pirate Bay by
MPAA & RIAA
 Expands to include other copyright-
related targets
 Attacks on Paypal, Matercard andVisa
related toWikileaks
Operation Darknet (2011)
 Targeted child pornography sites on the
Tor network
 Release usernames from the site “Lolita
City”
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22.  Angry
 Chaotic
 Constantly changing
 International
 Broad themes not specific goals
 Uncoordinated
 Unfinanced
 Differences in philosophy and undefined
subgroups
 No long term vision
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23.  A splinter group formed in 2011 as a result of
Operation Darknet known as Lulzsec
 50 day rampage
 Anti-Sec Movement
 “Demonstrating insecurity to improve
security”
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24.  Pro-Syrian Regime Hacktivists
 First seen May 2011
 Targeting major news organisations
 BBC
 Associated Press
 Guardian
 CBS News
 NPR
 Also activists
 Columbia University
 Human RightsWatch
 And oddly … FIFA
 Sepp Blatter
 2014World Cup
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27. The underground community has learnt lessons
from Lulzsec
 They have reviewed the evidence presented in
court
 Developing guidance:
 Create a cover
 Work on the legend
 Create sub-aliases
 Never contaminate
 Produced the “10 Hack Commandments”
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