What is Hacktivism?
Hacktivism is the fusion of hacking and activism; politics and technology. In essence, this is the process how hackers use technology as a way to express their political beliefs and ideologies. It is described as hacking for a political cause. Its specific clinical definition is that it is a policy of taking direct and militant action to achieve a political or social goal. In its general sense,Hacktivism is the use of one’s collective or individual ingenuity to circumvent limitations, to hack clever solutions to complex problems using computer and Internet technology.
What is Cyberterrorism?
Cyberterrorism is a computer-based attack or threat of attack intended to intimidate or coerce governments or societies in pursuit of goals that are political, religious, or ideological. Although Hacktivism and Cyberterrorism use the Internet as a means to realize their respective goals, they are different from each other. While Hacktivism is resorted to for a political cause, it is usually done in a peaceful way; but Cyberterrorism is grabbing the attention of the public through aggressive ways, specifically instilling fear into the hearts and minds of the general public. But, one of the articles states that there is no such thing as cyberterrorism--no instance of anyone ever having been killed by a terrorist (or anyone else) using a computer. And the real danger is from the criminals and other hackers who did $15 billion in damage to the global economy last year using viruses, worms, and other readily available tools. There lies one difference between the two.
If the purpose of the simple virus circulation is to create damage to certain computer network, then this would constitute “petty cyberterrorism.” However, if the virus-circulation is meant to capture the public’s attention and focus it to a political or social issue, then it would be Hacktivism.
How might it become such a threat, and what are the pros and cons of various countermeasures?
Cyberterrorism will become a serious threat when people adept at hacking will sympathize and align with the terrorists cause. Cyber terrorism has become more appealing because some of the computer programs have features which are easy to exploit and conducive for committing cyber terrorism. However, even if this threat is not considered serious today, certain preventive measures must be implemented so that we will not be caught by surprise.
