In financial terms, hacker victims may disagree with Dr. Denning's assessment that the consequences of viruses, worms and computer break-ins, in particular, are not serious. However, it is Dr. Denning's final definition concerning cyberterrorism that puts the hacktivism's damage of into perspective. Politically motivated hacking techniques are used in an effort to cause grave harm, including but not limited to, loss of life or serious economic damage. Examples of cyberterrorist actions can include hacking into an air traffic control system that results in planes colliding or attacking a stock exchange's computer systems that leads to a stock market crash. Both actions can have far-reaching and devastating effects with a chilling effect on an entire society.
Activists use the web in the most non-intrusive manner.
They take advantage of the numerous benefits that the Internet provides to advance their causes in the most efficient manner. They operate websites that offer papers, information about issues pertinent to their cause, upcoming events, membership, and links to sites that are of interest to their cause. Many of these groups send out e-mail newsletters, alerts, and notices of upcoming events. Hacktivists take advantage of the opportunity to publish freely on the Internet. There are a number of hacker online publications that provide information relevant to this community.