Hacktivism: from social protest to state instrumentalisation of the State
Keywords:
Hacktivism, APT, cyberproxies, cyberconflict, cyberattacksAbstract
Hacktivism has evolved from an initial form of digital protest into a key tool in contemporary geopolitical conflicts. What began as a decentralized movement advocating for freedom of expression and social justice has been progressively instrumentalized by states to conduct cyberattacks, manipulate public opinion, and deploy disinformation operations. This phenomenon has been particularly pronounced in the context of the war in Ukraine, where the convergence between Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups and patriotic hacktivists has enabled the execution of cyber operations aligned with state interests. At the same time, the internationalization of hacktivism has led to the formation of alliances between groups from different regions, expanding its impact beyond the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Cyberspace has become an ideal battleground for controlled confrontation between states. However, the increasing sophistication of attacks and the selection of increasingly strategic targets pose serious challenges to international stability and the security of Western states.
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