Editing Hacktivism (section)

==Notable hacktivist people/groups==

=== WikiLeaks ===
{{Main|WikiLeaks}}
[[File:CollateralMurder.ogv|thumb|The video released by WikiLeaks, showing the slaying of [[Reuters]] employee [[Namir Noor-Eldeen]] and a dozen other civilians by a U.S. helicopter. ]]
<!--This section is based on the lead of the main article per WP:SUMMARY-->WikiLeaks is a [[Media (communication)|media]] organisation and [[publisher]] founded in 2006. It operates as a non-profit and is funded by donations{{refn|<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cardoso |first1=Gustavo |last2=Jacobetty |author-link1=Gustavo Cardoso|first2=Pedro |title=Aftermath: The Cultures of the Economic Crisis|chapter=Surfing the Crisis: Cultures of Belonging and Networked Social Change|date=2012 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |editor-last1=Castells|editor-first1=Manuel|editor-link1=Manuel Castells|editor-last2=Caraça|editor-first2=João|editor-last3=Cardoso|editor-first3=Gustavo|editor-link3=Gustavo Cardoso|location=Oxford |isbn=9780199658411|pages=177–209|quote=WikiLeaks is also based on an openness culture, as it is a crowd-sourced, crowd-funded non-profit organization operating internationally.|url=https://global.oup.com/academic/product/aftermath-9780199658411}}</ref><ref name=PoSk19>{{cite book |last1=Pogrebna |first1=Ganna|author-link1=Ganna Pogrebna|last2=Skilton |first2=Mark |title=Navigating New Cyber Risks: How Businesses Can Plan, Build and Manage Safe Spaces in the Digital Age |date=2019 |publisher=[[Palgrave MacMillan]] |location=Cham, Switzerland |isbn=9783030135270 |page=2 |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-13527-0 |s2cid=197966404 |quote=WikiLeaks is an international non profit organization that receives and subsequently shares on its website confidential documents from large organizations or governments.|url=https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-13527-0}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Braccini |first1=Alessio Maria |last2=Federici |first2=Tommaso|editor-last1=Baskerville|editor-first1=Richard|editor-last2=De Marco|editor-first2=Marco|editor-last3=Spagnoletti|editor-first3=Paolo|chapter=New Internet-Based Relationships Between Citizens |url=https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-642-33371-2|title=Designing Organizational Systems: An Interdisciplinary Discourse |date=2013|quote=Julian Assange had introduced a new term into the lexicon of several generations. This term was 'WikiLeaks' and described an international non-profit organisation, committed to publishing secret information, news leaks, and classified media provided by anonymous sources.|publisher=[[Springer Nature]] |location=Berlin |isbn=978-3-642-33370-5 |pages=157–179|doi=10.1007/978-3-642-33371-2 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hindman |first1=Elizabeth Blanks |last2=Thomas |first2=Ryan J |title=When Old and New Media Collide: The Case of WikiLeaks|quote=WikiLeaks was founded in 2006 as an international non-profit organization specializing in the publication of 'classified, censored or otherwise restricted material of political, diplomatic or ethical significance' obtained via anonymous sources|journal=[[New Media & Society]]|publisher=[[SAGE Publishing]]|date=June 2014 |volume=16 |issue=4 |pages=541–558 |doi=10.1177/1461444813489504|s2cid=30711318 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Dodds |first1=Klaus J.|author-link=Klaus Dodds |title=The WikiLeaks Arctic Cables|quote=With a keen sense of timing, given the Greenlandic and Danish governments' hosting of the 7th Arctic Council ministerial meeting, seven 'sensitive' US diplomatic cables were leaked by WikiLeaks, an international non-profit organisation that publishes materials from anonymous sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers|journal=[[Polar Record]]|location=Cambridge|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]|date=2012 |volume=48 |issue=2 |pages=199–201 |doi=10.1017/S003224741100043X|bibcode=2012PoRec..48..199D |s2cid=129682201 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Benkler |first=Yochai|author-link=Yochai Benkler|title=A Free Irresponsible Press: Wikileaks and the Battle over the Soul of the Networked Fourth Estate |journal=[[Harvard Civil Rights–Civil Liberties Law Review]] |date=2011 |volume=46 |issue=2|location=Cambridge|publisher=[[Harvard Law School]]|pages=311–397|via=[[Harvard Library]]|url=https://dash.harvard.edu/handle/1/10900863|quote=Wikileaks is a nonprofit that depends on donations from around the world to fund its operation. A second system that came under attack on a model parallel to the attack on technical infrastructure was the payment system... Like the Sunlight Foundation and similar transparency-focused organizations, Wikileaks is a nonprofit focused on bringing to light direct, documentary evidence about government behavior so that many others, professional and otherwise, can analyze the evidence and search for instances that justify public criticism. }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Fuchs |first1=Christian |title=Social Media: A Critical Introduction |date=2014 |publisher=[[SAGE Publishing]] |location=London/Thousand Oaks |chapter=WikiLeaks: Can We Make Power Transparent?|quote=WikiLeaks (www.wikileaks.org) is a non-commercial and non-profit Internet whistleblowing platform that has been online since 2006. Julian Assange founded it. It is funded by online donations.|isbn=978-1-4462-5730-2 |pages=210–233 |url=https://sk.sagepub.com/books/social-media-a-critical-introduction}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Beckett |first1=Charlie |title=Wikileaks: News in the Networked Era |date=2012 |publisher=[[Wiley (publisher)|Wiley]] |location=Cambridge |isbn=978-0-745-65975-6 |page=26 |url=https://www.wiley.com/en-ie/WikiLeaks:+News+in+the+Networked+Era-p-9780745659756|quote=WikiLeaks is independent of commercial, corporate, government or lobbygroup control or ownership. It is a non-membership, non-profit organisation funded by donations}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Flesher Fominaya |first1=Cristina |title=Social Movements in a Globalized World|publisher=[[Bloomsbury Publishing]]|date=2020|page=177|location=London |isbn=9781352009347 |edition=Second |url=https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/social-movements-in-a-globalized-world-9781352009347/|quote=As a non-profit organization, Wikileaks is funded by crowdfunding donations, which were subsequently blocked by PayPal, Mastercard, a Swiss Bank and Bank of America in protest over their political activity, a troubling example of 'the ability of private infrastructure companies to restrict speech without being bound by the contraints of legality, and the possibility that government actors will take advantage of this affordance in an extra-legal public-private partnership for censorship'.}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Daly |first1=Angela |title=The Privatization of the Internet, WikiLeaks and Free Expression |journal=[[International Journal of Communication]] |date=2014 |volume=8 |pages=2693–2703|ssrn=2496707|location=Los Angeles|publisher=[[USC Annenberg Press]]|url=https://cadmus.eui.eu/handle/1814/35102|via=[[European University Institute]]|quote=In late 2010, the online nonprofit media organization WikiLeaks published classified documents detailing correspondence between the U.S. State Department and its diplomatic missions around the world, numbering around 250,000 cables.}}</ref>|name=intNP}} and media partnerships. It has published classified documents and other media provided by anonymous [[Source (journalism)|sources]].<ref name=":10">{{cite news |title=WikiLeaks |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/w/wikileaks/ |access-date=17 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130094619/http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/w/wikileaks/index.html |archive-date=30 January 2016}}</ref> It was founded by [[Julian Assange]], an [[Australians|Australian]] [[editor]], publisher, and [[activist]], who is currently [[Indictment and arrest of Julian Assange|challenging extradition to the United States]] over his work with WikiLeaks.<ref name="McGreal">{{cite news |last=McGreal |first=Chris |date=5 April 2010 |title=Wikileaks reveals video showing US air crew shooting down Iraqi civilians |work=[[The Guardian]] |place=London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/apr/05/wikileaks-us-army-iraq-attack |url-status=live |access-date=15 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110626230310/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/apr/05/wikileaks-us-army-iraq-attack |archive-date=26 June 2011}}</ref> Since September 2018, [[Kristinn Hrafnsson]] has served as its [[editor-in-chief]].<ref name=":11">{{cite news |title=WikiLeaks names one-time spokesman as editor-in-chief |language=en-US |work=[[Associated Press]] |url=https://www.apnews.com/df4b97d353c34ce4baa02f671dd6321b |access-date=26 September 2018}}</ref><ref name="Bridge">{{cite news |last=Bridge |first=Mark |date=27 September 2018 |title=Loss of internet forces Assange to step down from Wikileaks editor role |work=[[The Times]] |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/loss-of-internet-forces-assange-to-step-down-from-wikileaks-editor-role-q8ndg5jkc |url-access=subscription |access-date=11 April 2019}}</ref> Its website states that it has released more than ten million documents and associated analyses.<ref name=":22">{{cite web |title=What is Wikileaks |url=https://wikileaks.org/What-is-WikiLeaks.html |access-date=14 April 2020 |website=WikiLeaks}}</ref> WikiLeaks' most recent publication was in 2021, and its most recent publication of original documents was in 2019.<ref name="Gizmodo-2022b2">{{Cite web |date=22 November 2022 |title=WikiLeaks' Website Is Falling Apart |url=https://gizmodo.com/wikileaks-julian-assange-1849813101 |access-date=24 December 2022 |website=Gizmodo |language=en}}</ref> Beginning in November 2022, many of the documents on the organisation's website could not be accessed.<ref name="Gizmodo-2022b2" /><ref name=":122">{{Cite web |last=Thalen |first=Mikael |date=22 November 2022 |title=Millions of documents disappear from WikiLeaks as site completely breaks down |url=https://www.dailydot.com/debug/wikileaks-website-assange-hacked-documents/ |access-date=24 December 2022 |website=[[The Daily Dot]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Burgess |first=Matt |title=Apple Tracks You More Than You Think |url=https://www.wired.com/story/apple-iphone-privacy-analytics-security-roundup/ |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028 |access-date=24 December 2022}}</ref><ref name="HDblog.it">{{Cite web |author=<!--staff writer--> |date=22 November 2022 |title=WikiLeaks è in grave difficoltà: sito a malapena online, leak ormai assenti |url=https://www.hdblog.it/internet/articoli/n563620/wikileaks-problemi-funzionamento-sito-offline/ |access-date=24 December 2022 |website=HDblog.it |language=it-it}}</ref>

WikiLeaks has released [[List of material published by WikiLeaks|document caches]] and media that exposed serious violations of [[human rights]] and [[civil liberties]] by various governments. It released footage, which it titled ''Collateral Murder'', of the [[July 12, 2007, Baghdad airstrike|12{{nbsp}}July 2007 Baghdad airstrike]], in which Iraqi [[Reuters]] journalists and several civilians were killed by a U.S. helicopter crew.<ref name="RSF-Julliard-2010a">{{Cite web |title=Reporters Sans Frontières - Open letter to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange: ''A bad precedent for the Internet's future'' |url=http://en.rsf.org/united-states-open-letter-to-wikileaks-founder-12-08-2010,38130.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100815072941/http://en.rsf.org/united-states-open-letter-to-wikileaks-founder-12-08-2010,38130.html |archive-date=15 August 2010 |access-date=1 May 2022}}</ref> WikiLeaks has also published leaks such as [[United States diplomatic cables leak|diplomatic cables from the United States]] and [[Saudi Arabia]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Hubbard |first=Ben |date=20 June 2015 |title=Cables Released by WikiLeaks Reveal Saudis' Checkbook Diplomacy |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/21/world/middleeast/cables-released-by-wikileaks-reveal-saudis-checkbook-diplomacy.html |access-date=20 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Zorthian |first=Julia |date=19 June 2015 |title=WikiLeaks Begins Releasing Leaked Saudi Arabia Cables |url=https://time.com/3928584/wikileaks-saudi-arabia-cables/ |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |access-date=20 April 2019}}</ref> [[Syria Files|emails from the governments of Syria]]<ref>{{cite news |date=5 July 2012 |title=Syria files: Wikileaks releases 2m 'embarrassing' emails |publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-18724328 |access-date=20 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Greenberg |first=Andy |date=5 July 2012 |title=WikiLeaks Announces Massive Release With The 'Syria Files': 2.4 Million Emails From Syrian Officials And Companies |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2012/07/05/wikileaks-announces-its-largest-release-yet-in-the-syria-files-2-4-million-emails-from-syrian-officials-and-companies/#752b7eae5081 |magazine=[[Forbes]] |access-date=20 April 2019}}</ref> and [[Turkey]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Yeung |first=Peter |date=20 July 2016 |title=President Erdogan emails: What is in the Wikileaks release about Turkey's government? |work=[[The Independent]] |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/wikileaks-turkey-erdogan-emails-government-coup-a7145891.html |access-date=20 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Doctorow |first=Cory |date=29 July 2016 |title=Wikileaks' dump of "Erdogan emails" turn out to be public mailing list archives |publisher=BoingBoing |url=https://boingboing.net/2016/07/29/wikileaks-dump-of-erdogan.html |access-date=20 April 2019}}</ref><ref name="fp071216">{{cite magazine |last=Gramer |first=Robbie |date=7 December 2016 |title=Latest Wikileaks Dump Sheds New Light on Erdogan's Power In Turkey |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2016/12/07/latest-wikileaks-dump-sheds-light-erdogan-turkey-berat-albayrak-redhack-hackers-oil/ |magazine=Foreign Policy |access-date=20 April 2019}}</ref> corruption in [[Kenya]]<ref>{{cite web |last=Dahir |first=Abdi Latif |date=13 April 2019 |title=It all started in Nairobi: How Kenya gave Julian Assange's WikiLeaks its first major global scoop |url=https://qz.com/africa/1594656/the-kenyan-roots-of-julian-assanges-wikileaks/ |access-date=20 April 2019 |publisher=Quartz Africa}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Rice |first=Xan |date=31 August 2007 |title=The looting of Kenya |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/aug/31/kenya.topstories3 |access-date=20 April 2019}}</ref> and at [[Samherji]].<ref>{{Cite web |author=<!--staff writer--> |date=7 March 2022 |title=The Fishrot scandal |url=https://pplaaf.org/cases/fishrot.html |access-date=13 March 2022 |website=pplaaf.org |language=en}}</ref> WikiLeaks has also published documents exposing [[Vault 7|cyber warfare and surveillance tools]] created by the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Menn |first=Joseph |date=29 March 2017 |title=A scramble at Cisco exposes uncomfortable truths about U.S. cyber defense |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cyber-defense-idUSKBN17013U |access-date=20 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Shane |first1=Scott |last2=Rosenberg |first2=Matthew |last3=Lehren |first3=Andrew W. |date=7 March 2017 |title=WikiLeaks Releases Trove of Alleged C.I.A. Hacking Documents |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/07/world/europe/wikileaks-cia-hacking.html |access-date=20 April 2019}}</ref> and surveillance of the French president by the [[National Security Agency]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Regan |first1=James |last2=John |first2=Mark |date=23 June 2015 |title=NSA spied on French presidents: WikiLeaks |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-wikileaks/nsa-spied-on-french-presidents-wikileaks-idUSKBN0P32EM20150623 |access-date=20 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Rubin |first1=Alyssa J. |last2=Shane |first2=Scott |date=24 June 2015 |title=Hollande Condemns Spying by U.S., but Not Too Harshly |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/25/world/europe/wikileaks-us-spying-france.html |access-date=20 April 2019}}</ref> During the [[2016 United States presidential election|2016 U.S. presidential election campaign]], WikiLeaks [[2016 Democratic National Committee email leak|released emails]] from the [[Democratic National Committee]] (DNC) and from [[Podesta emails|Hillary Clinton's campaign manager]], showing that the party's national committee had effectively acted as an arm of the Clinton campaign during the [[United States presidential primary|primaries]], seeking to undercut the campaign of [[Bernie Sanders]]. These releases resulted in the resignation of the chairwoman of the DNC and caused significant harm to the [[Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential campaign|Clinton campaign]].<ref name="Baum-Gussin-2016">{{cite news |title=Why it's entirely predictable that Hillary Clinton's emails are back in the news |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/11/01/why-its-entirely-predictable-that-hillary-clintons-emails-are-back-in-the-news/ |access-date=12 November 2016}}</ref> During the campaign, WikiLeaks promoted false conspiracy theories about Hillary Clinton, the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] and the [[murder of Seth Rich]].<ref name="Ohlheiser-2016">{{Cite news |last=Ohlheiser |first=Abby |date=4 November 2016 |title=No, John Podesta didn't drink bodily fluids at a secret Satanist dinner |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/11/04/no-john-podesta-didnt-drink-bodily-fluids-at-a-secret-satanist-dinner/ |access-date=8 November 2016 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref name="Seitz-Wald-2016">{{Cite news |title=WikiLeaks Fuels Conspiracy Theories About DNC Staffer's Death |publisher=[[NBC News]] |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/wikileaks-fuels-conspiracy-theories-about-dnc-staffer-s-death-n627401 |access-date=8 November 2016 |quote=WikiLeaks ... is fueling Internet conspiracy theories by offering a $20,000 reward for information on a Democratic National Committee staffer who was killed last month ... in what police say was robbery gone wrong ... Assange implied this week in an interview that Rich was the source of the leak and even offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of his murderer. Meanwhile, the Russian government funded propaganda outlet RT had already been covering Rich's murder two weeks prior. RT and other Russian government propaganda outlets have also been working hard to deny the Russian government was the source of the leak, including by interviewing Assange about the Rich murder. ... The original conspiracy theory can be traced back to a notoriously unreliable conspiracy website}}</ref><ref name="bloomberg">{{cite web |last1=Chafkin |first1=Max |last2=Silver |first2=Vernon |date=10 October 2016 |title=How Julian Assange turned WikiLeaks into Trump's best friend |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-11/how-julian-assange-turned-wikileaks-into-trump-s-best-friend |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161109132018/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-11/how-julian-assange-turned-wikileaks-into-trump-s-best-friend |archive-date=9 November 2016 |access-date=17 April 2022 |website=[[Bloomberg News|Bloomberg]]}}</ref>

WikiLeaks has won a number of awards and has been commended for exposing state and corporate secrets, increasing transparency, assisting [[freedom of the press]], and enhancing democratic discourse while challenging powerful institutions. WikiLeaks and some of its supporters say the organisation's publications have a perfect record of publishing authentic documents. The organisation has been the target of campaigns to discredit it, including aborted ones by [[Palantir Technologies|Palantir]] and [[HBGary]]. WikiLeaks has also had its donation systems disrupted by problems with its [[payment processor]]s. As a result, the [[Wau Holland Foundation]] helps process WikiLeaks' donations.

The organisation has been criticised for inadequately curating some of its content and violating the personal privacy of individuals. WikiLeaks has, for instance, revealed [[Social Security number]]s, [[Medical record|medical information]], [[credit card numbers]] and details of [[suicide attempt]]s.<ref name="Brustein-2016">{{Cite news |last=Brustein |first=Joshua |date=29 July 2016 |title=Why Wikileaks Is Losing Its Friends |publisher=[[Bloomberg News|Bloomberg]] |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-07-29/why-wikileaks-is-losing-its-friends}}</ref><ref name="Satter-2016">{{Cite news |last1=Satter |first1=Raphael |last2=Michael |first2=Maggie |date=23 August 2016 |title=Private lives are exposed as WikiLeaks spills its secrets |language=en-US |agency=[[Associated Press]] |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/b70da83fd111496dbdf015acbb7987fb/private-lives-are-exposed-wikileaks-spills-its-secrets |url-status=dead |access-date=6 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170107170443/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/b70da83fd111496dbdf015acbb7987fb/private-lives-are-exposed-wikileaks-spills-its-secrets |archive-date=7 January 2017}}</ref><ref name="Peterson-2016">{{Cite news |last=Peterson |first=Andrea |title=Snowden and WikiLeaks clash over leaked Democratic Party emails |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2016/07/28/a-twitter-spat-breaks-out-between-snowden-and-wikileaks/ |access-date=28 July 2016}}</ref> News organisations, activists, journalists and former members have also criticised the organisation over allegations of anti-Clinton and pro-Trump bias, various associations with the Russian government, buying and selling of leaks, and a lack of internal transparency. Journalists have also criticised the organisation for promotion of false flag conspiracy theories, and what they describe as exaggerated and misleading descriptions of the contents of leaks. The [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] defined the organisation as a "[[Non-state actor|non-state]] hostile [[Intelligence agency|intelligence service]]" after the release of [[Vault 7]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 October 2021 |title=U.S. prosecution of alleged WikiLeaks 'Vault 7' source hits multiple roadblocks |url=https://news.yahoo.com/us-prosecution-of-alleged-wiki-leaks-vault-7-source-hits-multiple-roadblocks-235450811.html |access-date=16 October 2022 |website=news.yahoo.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Anonymous===
{{Main|Anonymous (group)}}

[[File:Anonymous cat mural.jpg|thumb|The [[Guy Fawkes mask]] is commonly used by Anonymous.]]
Perhaps the most prolific and well known hacktivist group, [[Anonymous (group)|Anonymous]] has been prominent and prevalent in many major online hacks over the past decade. Anonymous is a decentralized group that originated on the forums of [[4chan]] during 2003, but didn't rise to prominence until 2008 when they directly attacked the [[Church of Scientology]] in a massive [[Denial-of-service attack|DoS]] attack.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Feature by Chris Landers: Serious Business {{!}} 4/2/2008 |url=http://www.citypaper.com/columns/story.asp?id=15543 |date=2008-06-08 |access-date=2015-12-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080608050312/http://www.citypaper.com/columns/story.asp?id=15543 |archive-date=June 8, 2008 }}</ref> Since then, Anonymous has participated in a great number of online projects such as [[Operation Payback|Operation: Payback]] and Operation: Safe Winter.<ref name="dailydot.com">{{Cite web|title = #OpSafeWinter: Anonymous fights homelessness worldwide|url = http://www.dailydot.com/news/op-safe-winter-anonymous/|website = The Daily Dot|date = 4 January 2014|access-date = 2015-12-02|url-status = live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151121054415/http://www.dailydot.com/news/op-safe-winter-anonymous/|archive-date = 2015-11-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = 4chan Users Organize Surgical Strike Against MPAA – MediaCenter Panda Security|url = http://www.pandasecurity.com/mediacenter/news/4chan-users-organize-ddos-against-mpaa/|website = MediaCenter Panda Security|date = 17 September 2010|access-date = 2015-12-02|language = en-US|url-status = live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160102111822/http://www.pandasecurity.com/mediacenter/news/4chan-users-organize-ddos-against-mpaa/|archive-date = 2016-01-02}}</ref> However, while a great number of their projects have been for a charitable cause,<ref name="dailydot.com"/> they have still gained notoriety from the media due to the nature of their work mostly consisting of illegal hacking.<ref>{{Cite news|title = Hacker group Anonymous is a nuisance, not a threat|url = https://money.cnn.com/2012/01/20/technology/anonymous_hack/index.htm|website = CNNMoney|access-date = 2015-12-02|first = David|last = Goldman|url-status = live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130327004354/http://money.cnn.com/2012/01/20/technology/anonymous_hack/index.htm|archive-date = 2013-03-27}}</ref>

Following the [[November 2015 Paris attacks|Paris terror attacks]] in 2015, Anonymous posted a video declaring war on [[ISIS]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/paris-attacks-anonymous-launches-its-biggest-operation-ever-against-isis-promises-to-hunt-down-a6735811.html|title=Anonymous has declared war on Isis after the Paris attacks|date=2015-11-16|newspaper=The Independent|language=en-GB|access-date=2016-10-23|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161201052117/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/paris-attacks-anonymous-launches-its-biggest-operation-ever-against-isis-promises-to-hunt-down-a6735811.html|archive-date=2016-12-01}}</ref> the terror group that claimed responsibility for the attacks. Since declaring war on ISIS, Anonymous since identified several Twitter accounts associated with the movement in order to stop the distribution of ISIS propaganda. However, Anonymous fell under heavy criticism when Twitter issued a statement calling the lists Anonymous had compiled "wildly inaccurate," as it contained accounts of journalists and academics rather than members of ISIS.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/anonymous-hacking-isis-warns-collaborating-us-government-deeply-stupid-2226066|title=Anonymous Hacks ISIS, But Warns Against Collaborating With US|date=2015-12-15|newspaper=International Business Times|access-date=2016-10-23|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161119182320/http://www.ibtimes.com/anonymous-hacking-isis-warns-collaborating-us-government-deeply-stupid-2226066|archive-date=2016-11-19}}</ref>

Anonymous has also been involved with the [[Black Lives Matter]] movement. Early in July 2015, there was a rumor circulating that Anonymous was calling for a Day of Rage protests in retaliation for the shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, which would entail violent protests and riots. This rumor was based on a video that was not posted with the official Anonymous YouTube account.{{Citation needed|reason=No such thing as an offical account|date=November 2023}} None of the Twitter accounts associated with Anonymous had tweeted anything in relation to a Day of Rage, and the rumors were identical to past rumors that had circulated in 2014 following the death of Mike Brown.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.snopes.com/2016/07/11/anonymous-day-of-rage-protests-2016/|title=Anonymous 'Day of Rage' Protests|last=LaCapria|first=Kim|website=snopes|date=11 July 2016 |access-date=2016-10-23}}</ref> Instead, on July 15, a Twitter account associated with Anonymous posted a series of tweets calling for a day of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. The Twitter account used the hashtag "#FridayofSolidarity" to coordinate protests across the nation, and emphasized the fact that the Friday of Solidarity was intended for peaceful protests. The account also stated that the group was unaware of any Day of Rage plans.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://sfist.com/2016/07/15/black_lives_matter_protests_happeni.php|title=Black Lives Matter Protests Happening Today At SF's Civic Center And Downtown Oakland|newspaper=SFist|language=en-US|access-date=2016-10-23|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160718014246/http://sfist.com/2016/07/15/black_lives_matter_protests_happeni.php|archive-date=2016-07-18}}</ref>

In February 2017 the group took down more than 10,000 sites on the [[Dark web]] related to child porn.<ref name="NBC News"/>

=== DkD[|| ===
DkD[||, a French cyberhacktivist, was arrested by the OCLCTIC (office central de lutte contre la criminalité liée aux technologies de l’information et de la communication), in March 2003. DkD[|| defaced more than 2000 pages, many were governments and US military sites. Eric Voulleminot of the Regional Service of Judicial Police in Lille classified the young hacker as "''the most wanted hacktivist in France''"<ref>{{cite web | last=Antson | first=Franck | title=Arrestation du " hacker " le plus recherché de France | website=leparisien.fr | date=2003-07-09 | url=https://www.leparisien.fr/faits-divers/arrestation-du-hacker-le-plus-recherche-de-france-10-07-2003-2004239529.php | language=fr | access-date=2021-05-05}}</ref>

DkD[|| was a very known defacer in the underground for his political view, doing his defacements for various political reasons. In response to his arrest, The Ghost Boys defaced many {{mono|navy.mil}} sites using the “Free DkD[||!!” slogan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.zone-h.org/news/id/2807|title=DKD[{{!}}{{!}} Officially stopped|website=www.zone-h.org|access-date=2019-03-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.leparisien.fr/faits-divers/arrestation-du-hacker-le-plus-recherche-de-france-10-07-2003-2004239529.php|title=Arrestation du " hacker " le plus recherché de France}}</ref>

===LulzSec===
{{Main|LulzSec}}
In May 2011, five members of Anonymous formed the hacktivist group [[LulzSec|Lulz Security]], otherwise known as LulzSec. LulzSec's name originated from the conjunction of the internet slang term "lulz", meaning laughs, and "sec", meaning security.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/may/16/lulzsec-hacking-fbi-jail|title=LulzSec: what they did, who they were and how they were caught|last=Arthur|first=Charles|date=2013-05-16|newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|access-date=2016-10-20|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014142622/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/may/16/lulzsec-hacking-fbi-jail|archive-date=2016-10-14}}</ref> The group members used specific handles to identify themselves on Internet Relay Channels, the most notable being:  "Sabu," "Kayla," "T-Flow," "Topiary," "AVUnit," and "Pwnsauce." Though the members of LulzSec would spend up to 20 hours a day in communication, they did not know one another personally, nor did they share personal information. For example, once the members' identities were revealed, "T-Flow" was revealed to be 15 years old. Other members, on the basis of his advanced coding ability, thought he was around 30 years old.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/lulzsec-reunited-anonymous-hackers-meet-first-time-real-life-1467870|title=LulzSec Reunited: Anonymous Hackers Meet for the First Time in Real Life|last=Gilbert|first=David|date=2014-09-30|newspaper=International Business Times UK|access-date=2016-10-21|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160924184722/http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/lulzsec-reunited-anonymous-hackers-meet-first-time-real-life-1467870|archive-date=2016-09-24}}</ref>

One of the first notable targets that LulzSec pursued was [[HBGary]], which was performed in response to a claim made by the technology security company that it had identified members of Anonymous. Following this, the members of LulzSec targeted an array of companies and entities, including but not limited to: [[Fox Television Network|Fox Television]], [[Tribune Media|Tribune Company]], [[PBS]], [[Sony]], [[Nintendo]], and the [[Senate.gov]] website. The targeting of these entities typically involved gaining access to and downloading confidential user information, or defacing the website at hand.<ref>United States of America v. Hector Monsegur. Southern District Court of New York. 23 May 2014. ''Cryptome.org''. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2016.</ref>  LulzSec while not as strongly political as those typical of WikiLeaks or Anonymous, they shared similar sentiments for the freedom of information. One of their distinctly politically driven attacks involved targeting the Arizona State Police in response to new immigration laws.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-22526021|title=Former Lulzsec hacker Jake Davis on his motivations|last=Watts|first=Susan|date=2013-05-16|newspaper=BBC News|language=en-GB|access-date=2016-10-21|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161119182301/http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-22526021|archive-date=2016-11-19}}</ref>

The group's first attack that garnered significant government attention was in 2011, when they collectively took down a website of the FBI. Following the incident, the leader of LulzSec, "Sabu," was identified as [[Hector Monsegur|Hector Xavier Monsegur]] by the FBI, and he was the first of the group to be arrested. Immediately following his arrest, Monsegur admitted to criminal activity. He then began his cooperation with the US government, helping FBI authorities to arrest 8 of his co-conspirators, prevent 300 potential cyber attacks, and helped to identify vulnerabilities in existing computer systems. In August 2011, Monsegur pleaded guilty to "computer hacking conspiracy, computer hacking, computer hacking in furtherance of fraud, conspiracy to commit access device fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and aggravated [[identity theft]] pursuant to a cooperation agreement with the government." He served a total of one year and seven months and was charged a $1,200 fine.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/newyork/news/press-releases/leading-member-of-the-international-cyber-criminal-group-lulzsec-sentenced-in-manhattan-federal-court|title=Leading Member of the International Cyber Criminal Group LulzSec Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court|website=Federal Bureau of Investigation|language=en-us|access-date=2016-10-21|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161119182337/https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/newyork/news/press-releases/leading-member-of-the-international-cyber-criminal-group-lulzsec-sentenced-in-manhattan-federal-court|archive-date=2016-11-19}}</ref>

=== SiegedSec ===
{{Main|SiegedSec}}
'''SiegedSec''', short for '''Sieged Security''' and commonly self-referred to as the "Gay [[Furry fandom|Furry]] Hackers",<ref name=":02">{{Cite news |author1=Rich Stanton |date=2023-11-23 |title=Self-described gay furry hackers breach one of the biggest nuclear labs in the US, and demand it begin researching 'IRL catgirls' |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/self-described-gay-furry-hackers-breach-one-of-the-biggest-nuclear-labs-in-the-us-and-demand-it-begin-researching-irl-catgirls/ |access-date=2024-05-01 |work=PC Gamer |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{Cite web |date=2023-11-22 |title=Self-proclaimed 'gay furry hackers' breach nuclear lab |url=https://www.engadget.com/self-proclaimed-gay-furry-hackers-breach-nuclear-lab-152034192.html |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=Engadget |language=en-US}}</ref> is a [[Black hat (computer security)|black-hat]] criminal hacktivist [[Hacker group|group]] that was formed in early 2022, that has committed a number of high-profile [[cyber attacks]], including attacks on [[NATO]],<ref name=":23">{{Cite web |last=Lyons |first=Jessica |title=NATO investigates hacktivist group's stolen data claims |url=https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/27/nato_investigates_hack/ |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=www.theregister.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":32">{{Cite web |title=NATO investigates alleged data theft by SiegedSec hackers |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/nato-investigates-alleged-data-theft-by-siegedsec-hackers/ |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=BleepingComputer |language=en-us}}</ref><ref name=":42">{{Cite web |last=Vicens |first=A. J. |date=2023-07-26 |title=NATO investigating apparent breach of unclassified information sharing platform |url=https://cyberscoop.com/nato-breach-of-unclassified-information-siegedsec/ |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=CyberScoop |language=en-US}}</ref> The [[Idaho National Laboratory]],<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":12" /> and [[Real America's Voice]].<ref name=":52">{{Cite web |last=Thalen |first=Mikael |date=2024-04-16 |title=Furry hackers far-right campaign sets sights on Charlie Kirk, Steve Bannon |url=https://www.dailydot.com/debug/furry-hackers-siegedsec-real-americas-voice/ |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=The Daily Dot |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Gay Furry Hacker Group SiegedSec Breached a Far-Right Media Outlet and Wreaked Havoc |url=https://www.msn.com/ |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=www.msn.com}}</ref> On July 10, 2024, the group announced that they would be disbanding after attacking [[The Heritage Foundation]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Thalen |first1=Mikael |date=July 10, 2024 |title=Read the furious texts the Heritage Foundation sent furry hacking collective SiegedSec after breach |url=https://www.dailydot.com/debug/heritage-foundation-hack-sieged-sec-chat-log-retirement/ |access-date=July 10, 2024 |work=[[The Daily Dot]]}}</ref>

SiegedSec is led by an individual under the alias "vio".<ref name="Cross-1">{{cite news |last1=Cross |first1=Alison |date=July 5, 2023 |title=UConn targeted in cyberattack allegedly by hacker in group known for targeting government agencies |url=https://www.courant.com/2023/07/05/uconn-targeted-in-cyberattack-allegedly-by-hacker-in-group-known-for-targeting-government-agencies/ |access-date=July 10, 2024 |work=[[Hartford Courant]]}}</ref> Short for "Sieged Security",<ref>{{cite news |last1=Anthony |first1=Abigail |date=July 11, 2024 |title=Claws Out: 'Gay Furry Hackers' Target Heritage Foundation |url=https://www.nationalreview.com/news/claws-out-gay-furry-hackers-target-heritage-foundation/ |access-date=July 11, 2024 |work=[[National Review]]}}</ref><ref name="Yeo-1">{{cite news |last1=Yeo |first1=Amanda |date=November 24, 2023 |title='Gay furry hackers' breach nuclear lab, demand it create catgirls |url=https://mashable.com/article/catgirl-real-nuclear-hack |access-date=July 11, 2024 |work=[[Mashable]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Spindler |first1=Emily |date=November 24, 2023 |title=Gay Furry Hackers Break Into Nuclear Lab Data, Want Catgirls |url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2023/11/gay-furry-hackers-break-into-nuclear-lab-data-want-catgirls/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231124020024/https://www.kotaku.com.au/2023/11/gay-furry-hackers-break-into-nuclear-lab-data-want-catgirls/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 24, 2023 |access-date=July 11, 2024 |work=[[Kotaku Australia]] |language=en-AU}}</ref> SiegedSec's [[Telegram (software)|Telegram]] channel was first created in April 2022,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vicens |first1=A. J. |date=July 9, 2024 |title=Hacktivists release two gigabytes of Heritage Foundation data |url=https://cyberscoop.com/hackvists-release-two-gigabytes-of-heritage-foundation-data/ |access-date=July 10, 2024 |work=CyberScoop}}</ref> and they commonly refer to themselves as "gay furry hackers".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cahill |first1=Sebastian |date=July 14, 2023 |title=Gay furry hackers are targeting US states for passing anti-trans legislation |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/gay-furry-hackers-transphobic-hacking-spree-siegedsec-state-governments-texas-2023-7 |access-date=July 10, 2024 |work=[[Business Insider]]}}</ref><ref name="Musgrave-1">{{cite news |last1=Musgrave |first1=Shawn |date=July 9, 2024 |title="Gay Furry Hackers" Claim Credit for Hacking Heritage Foundation Over Project 2025 |url=https://theintercept.com/2024/07/09/gay-furry-hackers-claim-credit-for-hacking-heritage-foundation-over-project-2025/ |access-date=July 10, 2024 |work=[[The Intercept]]}}</ref> On multiple occasions, the group has targeted [[right-wing]] movements through [[Data breach|breaching data]], including [[The Heritage Foundation]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hansford |first1=Amelia |date=July 10, 2024 |title='Gay furry hackers' steal 200GB of data in huge anti-Project 2025 cyber attack |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/07/10/gay-furry-hackers-project-2025/ |access-date=July 10, 2024 |work=[[PinkNews]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Liu |first1=Nicholas |date=July 10, 2024 |title="Gay furry hackers" claim credit for Heritage Foundation cyberattack |url=https://www.salon.com/2024/07/10/gay-furry-hackers-claim-credit-for-heritage-foundation-cyberattack/ |access-date=July 10, 2024 |work=[[Salon.com]] |language=en}}</ref> [[Real America's Voice]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Factora |first1=James |date=April 19, 2024 |title=Gay Furry Hacker Group SiegedSec Breached a Far-Right Media Outlet and Wreaked Havoc |url=https://www.them.us/story/gay-furry-hacker-group-siegedsec-breach-far-right-media-outlet |access-date=July 10, 2024 |work=[[Them (website)|Them]]}}</ref> as well as various [[U.S. state]]s that have pursued legislative decisions against [[Transgender health care|gender-affirming care]].<ref name="Wilson-1">{{cite news |last1=Wilson |first1=Jason |date=June 29, 2023 |title='Gay furries' group hacks agencies in US states attacking gender-affirming care |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/29/siegedsec-gay-furries-group-hacked-information-six-us-states |access-date=July 10, 2024 |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref>