Which type of adversary would execute a website defacement attack to promote a political agenda?

Question

Options

• Ascript kiddie
• Bhacktivist
• Cgray hat hacker
• Dstate sponsored hacker

• A
  2% (1)
• B
  92% (57)
• C
  2% (1)
• D
  5% (3)

Explanation

Hacktivists (B) are the defining match here - they use hacking as a form of political protest or activism, and website defacement is one of their signature tactics, used to broadcast a message or embarrass a target organization (think Anonymous operations).

Why the others are wrong:

• Script kiddies (A) use pre-made tools for notoriety or entertainment, not ideological goals - they deface sites to show off, not to make a political point.
• Gray hat hackers (C) typically break into systems without permission but then disclose vulnerabilities - their motivation is curiosity or reputation, not political messaging.
• State-sponsored hackers (D) work for governments and pursue espionage, sabotage, or intelligence gathering - far more sophisticated and covert than a public defacement campaign.

Memory tip: Think of the word itself - hacktivist = hacker + activist. If the attack is loud, public, and tied to a cause or ideology, the adversary is a hacktivist.

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