Trend Micro: Today's hacktivists can be likened to criminal gangs

In a new report from Trend Micro presents a mapping of online groups engaged in hacktivism. Hacktivists have traditionally been likened to digital graffiti painters, whose actions and attacks against companies and organizations have been more of a symbolic nature. Cybercrime has not been the primary driving force of the gangs, but attacks are driven by ideological motives. However, a shift is now visible that has recently increased the criminal elements in the activities, as more traditional attack methods are used as a way to finance their activities.

– Today, these groups can be most closely compared to urban gangs, says Martin Fribrock, Sweden Manager at Trend Micro. There is increased criminality within hacktivist groups, while they are becoming increasingly highly skilled hackers. The groups may be relatively small in size, but they are more capable now than before of carrying out larger or more advanced attacks.

When hacktivism and cybercrime overlap
The clearest link between hacktivism and cybercriminals actions are ransomware attacksToday's hacktivist groups are also increasingly engaging in “hack-and-leak” attacks, where they hack servers and networks to steal data that they then leak via file-sharing platforms.

The most difficult thing for companies is the unpredictability of hacktivists' actions. They can attack for political, ideological, and economic reasons, or for no particular reason at all. Even organizations with no apparent reason to fear politically motivated attacks are not immune to hacktivist threats. As volatile actors in the threat landscape, the groups add yet more layers of uncertainty and risks to today's security challenges.

– My concrete tips for businesses who are worried about hacktivists, is to focus on protection against denial-of-service attacks, Cyber Risk Exposure Management (CREM) tools, and patching, says Martin Fribrock. It may sound tedious, but the importance of continuous patching cannot be overstated.

For more information, read the full report here: https://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/se/security/news/cybercrime-and-digital-threats/understanding-hacktivists-the-overlap-of-ideology-and-cybercrime