hacktivism

noun

hack·​tiv·​ism ˈhak-ti-ˌvi-zəm 

: computer hacking (as by infiltration and disruption of a network or website) done to further the goals of political or social activism

Some even speculate that the recent break-in to Microsoft's source code—a serious breach of security—was not industrial espionage but hacktivism.

—The San Francisco Chronicle

… instruments such as information warfare, cultural manipulation and social media hacktivism being used to achieve foreign policy goals without the use of direct force.

—Dominic Nicholls

hacktivist

ˈhak-ti-vist 

noun

plural hacktivists

In May, in the wake of NATO air strikes against Yugoslavia, hacktivists defaced several government Web sites with anti-war graffiti.

—Vanity Fair

hacktivist adjective

Expect hacktivist groups to support revolutions abroad, but also to assist protest movements here at home.

—Amy Goodman

Examples of hacktivism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

According to a 2025 report by the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC), an industry consortium, the financial services sector was the top target of DDoS attacks in 2024, with the Hamas-Israel and Russia-Ukraine wars fueling a surge in hacktivism. —Reuters wire Service, Dallas Morning News, 4 Mar. 2026

Larsson’s hacktivism was noticed by the editors of Wikipedia. —Bethy Squires, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2026

With cyber threats ranging from espionage to hacktivism, the need for advanced defenses was clear. —Brian Gumbel, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024

This is a podcast about hackers, breaches, shadow government activity, hacktivism, cybercrime, and all the things that dwell on the hidden parts of the network. —David Pierce, The Verge, 1 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

blend of hack entry 1 and activism

First Known Use

1992, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hacktivism

• autism
• fascism
• racism
• sikhism
• statism
• sufism
• thomism
• tourism
• tropism
• abolitionism
• aldosteronism
• americanism