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Introduction

When the group Vulcan—presumed to be a pro-Russian hacktivist network—attacked Berlin’s power grid, no ransom was demanded and no data was stolen. The goal was simpler: to paralyze operations and send a high-profile message (Reuters). This is the defining characteristic of hacktivism. Hacktivists are driven by ideology and politics; their primary goal is visibility and sowing uncertainty in society.

Who Are These Hacktivists—and How Do They Differ?

Most organizations have tailored their cyber defenses to a familiar threat model: a profit-driven attacker who operates quietly, wants to remain undetected, and wants something your organization possesses—data, credentials, intellectual property. Hacktivists break this mold. Visibility is the goal, not risk. While conventional cybercriminals go to great lengths to remain undetected, hacktivists do the exact opposite. They publicly claim […]