While we might associate hacktivism with the Guy Fawkes mask, the idea has been around since the late 80s, when one group infiltrated US government websites to protest nuclear armament. Since then, hacktivists have used their skill for everything from surveying their citizen’s internet activity to taking down child pornography rings vigilante style. And hacktivism is again in the news after Verizon published report that claims that 58% of all data stolen in 2011 can be traced back to hacktivist movements. They also reported that hacktivist groups are active in 36 countries, up from 22 in 2010. And with Anonymous announcing they will be taking back control of LulzSec after a round of arrests seemed to hamstring the group, now is a good time for those with sensitive data online to take a look at the evolution of hacktivism and how different groups are using the technologies we depend on for their own ends.
Source: frugaldad.com
