Investigating modern hacktivist tactics, a threat to digital infrastructure

Hacktivism, a mix of hacking and activism, has emerged as a significant force in the digital landscape.

Driven by social, political or religious motives, hacktivists use a variety of cyber tactics to advance their goals, often targeting organizations or governments they perceive as oppressive or unjust.

They use their technical skills to bring about change, and their motivations are diverse, ranging from advocating for free speech and fighting censorship to protesting against human rights violations or religious discrimination.

DDoS attacks, web defacements and data leaks

A new report from CYFIRMA has detailed that hacktivists see themselves as digital activists and often operate under the guise of justice, targeting organizations that they believe must be held accountable for their actions. While some groups focus on specific regional or national issues, others run broader campaigns that span multiple countries and continents.

One of the most common tactics used by hacktivists is distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. These attacks overload websites with excessive traffic, causing disruption and rendering them inaccessible. Hacktivists use various DDoS tools, including web-based IP stressors and botnet services, to attack different layers of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model.

Web defacement is a fairly common tactic in which hacktivists alter website content to display political or ideological messages. This approach embarrasses website owners and spreads the hacktivist message to a wider audience. By exploiting vulnerabilities such as cross-site scripting or SQL injection, hacktivists can deface websites relatively easily. Platforms such as Zone-X track and display defaced websites worldwide, increasing the visibility and impact of these actions.

Data leaks and doxing are also popular methods used by hacktivists to leak sensitive information. By exploiting vulnerabilities in databases or network security, hacktivists gain access to sensitive data and then make it available to the public. Doxing involves making personal information about individuals public, often to intimidate or harass them. These tactics can have serious ethical and legal consequences and highlight the aggressive nature of some hacktivist activities.

Hacktivist groups are increasingly collaborating to amplify their impact. These alliances can include partnerships with DDoS service providers, other hacktivist groups, or even state threat actors. For example, pro-Palestinian hacktivists have formed alliances with pro-Russian groups, while Indian hacktivists are collaborating with Nepali groups. Such alliances enable coordinated attacks on a large scale, increase the effectiveness of their operations, and cause significant disruption.

A notable example is the “Holy League,” a coalition of over 70 pro-Russian, pro-Palestinian and other groups. These alliances facilitate knowledge sharing, joint planning and pooling of resources, making it difficult for affected countries to defend themselves against these well-coordinated cyber threats.

While hacktivism has traditionally focused on ideological goals, some groups now use ransomware for both financial and political gain. The availability of leaked ransomware source code, such as that of LockBit and Conti, has allowed hacktivists to develop their own ransomware variants. Some groups, such as the Belarusian Cyber Partisans, have used ransomware to make political demands rather than demand ransom, highlighting the evolving nature of hacktivist tactics.

In addition to ransomware, hacktivists have also found other ways to monetize their activities. They sell data obtained through security breaches, offer training on offensive hacking techniques, and even charge money for access to exclusive content on private channels. These monetization strategies fund their operations and allow hacktivist groups to maintain and expand their activities.

Recruitment is crucial for hacktivist groups because they are constantly looking for new members who share their ideology. Many of the recruits are young, often between the ages of 16 and 24, and are drawn to hacktivism by a sense of nationalism or a desire to fight perceived injustices. Hacktivist groups use social media platforms and private channels to spread their messages, organize attacks, and recruit members. These platforms also allow them to showcase their successes, gain new followers, and increase their influence.

As hacktivist groups continue to evolve, their impact on digital infrastructure and world affairs cannot be ignored. Governments and organizations must remain vigilant and invest in cybersecurity measures, information sharing, and international cooperation to counter the growing threat posed by these digital activists.

topicnews · September 8, 2024

Investigating modern hacktivist tactics, a threat to digital infrastructure

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