Hackers’ Ethics Evolution: Special Features of Modern Hacking Groups Operations

Today the term ‘hacker’ has not only various connotations but also implies different meanings depending on the type of attack and, sometimes, on the way hackers perform their attacks. While some might label infamous hacking groups as criminals others would consider their work as a part of the fight for free information flow, political transparency as well as an act of fighting for liberal values. Today, hackers are not only to gain financial profit but also to promote a political agenda and social change. Many attacks find social approval while the hacking collectives behind them are being called ethical since the attackers root for some values that people support. At the same time, hackers developed their own codes of ethics, provide various service and make generous donations. But can hacking ever be ethical? Most of the academic literature devoted to hackers’ ethic covers the issue through the prism of the Anonymous collective. However, it has already been six years from the peak of hacktivists activity nowadays and other hacking subgroups of hackers with their unique toolsets and positioning methods stepped in to the big game. The era of hacktivists came to an end, while the era of ransomware hackers started its development. I considered it is necessary to extend the existing studies with more relevant cases since hacktivists activity reduced significantly from 2016 conceding the primacy to other hacker subgroups who use other tools, namely, ransomware operators. This research aims to define the main features of the modern hacking groups not from a technical point of view but from the standpoint of critical media researcher. This study employs digital ethnography method as well as a qualitative case study and content analysis to define how hackers’ self-conceptualize themselves internally. My research is narrowed to the case studies of two hacking groups – the Babuk and Darkside.