Would not be surprised at all if some anonymous hacks were committed by already known hacker collectives who knew they had something big but wanted to avoid retaliation.

[–] JoMiran@lemmy.ml 8 points 11 months ago (2 children)

greyhats

I prefer the term "hacker activists" which can include blackhats, greyhats, and sometimes whitehats that get angry enough that, even if they do not actively participate in an attack, they can provide resources of all sorts.

[–] PhlubbaDubba@lemm.ee 10 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I distinguish Blackhat and Greyhat along the morality of the act itself, rule breaking for noble cause is grey, and for selfish cause is black.

[–] kautau@lemmy.world 9 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

And you'd be correct. Also a white hat is someone who is usually paid by an org to pen test them https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_hat_(computer_security).

If, outside of what they normally apply their hacking abilities to they are participating in this, they are all grey hats on this blessed day

[–] PhlubbaDubba@lemm.ee 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

It's Edward Hopper painting characters in grey trench coats all the way down!

[–] kautau@lemmy.world 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Ah my thought just went to the Gandalf epic sax guy in a rendering lab meme, but I’m a child of the internet

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=asjQNZn7vng

[–] brbposting@sh.itjust.works 3 points 11 months ago

lol the second lab

[–] imPastaSyndrome@lemm.ee 2 points 11 months ago

Not hacktavists? One of the few portmanteaus that don't drive me crazy :)

[–] match@pawb.social 6 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Is there any difference between "the hacker group Anonymous" and "an anonymous hacker group" now?

[–] PhlubbaDubba@lemm.ee 6 points 11 months ago

Yeah, whether anonymous puts a statement out taking credit

[–] marzhall@lemmy.world 3 points 11 months ago

There never was, all the way back to day one. Any given "operation" may or may not have overlapped in membership. The name is literal, and always has been; but with it comes a set of meanings and tropes (the mask, "we will not forgive, we will not forget, we are legion") that a given actor taking the name can invoke as a call to action for others, or use to simply mask their identity.