Using Twitter, an account associated with the hacktivist group Anonymous announced they had successfully hacked the website of the Chinese government.
???????????????#OpWhitePaper #OpChina#Anonymoushttps://t.co/Wc0ampRkCk
— Anonymous Operations (@AnonOpsSE) December 1, 2022
Most already know that Anonymous is a pretty loose collective of hackers from across the globe. Generally, they target governments or organizations for censoring free speech and violating human rights.
So, it’s not surprising they are aiding protesters in China. But until now, Anonymous has not publicly announced any cyberattack in support of the protesters.
Since the newly named “white paper revolution” kicked off, aid was provided by Anonymous in the form of advice on how protesters can avoid detection online by Chinese authorities.
In support of the ongoing Iranian protests, the group has also been taking action against the Iranian government.
Because of its nature, Anonymous is something difficult to nail down in terms of defining beliefs or what cyberattacks are actually sanctioned.
Since it first appeared on the scene as a hacktivist group in 2008, Anonymous has faded from the public eye multiple times. For the most part, those claiming to be a part of the group will pop back up online to announce support of protesters followed by announcements of successful attacks against whichever government is being protested against.
But their appearance isn’t limited to civil unrest. Anonymous has also been involved in the Russo-Ukrainian War. Since March of this year, members have been attacking Russia in any way they can with a Wi-Fi connection.
Altogether, Anonymous seems to be more of a banner to fly under.
But I suppose that is what Anonymous is meant to be, a group the average person with the correct skills can join to attack those in power deemed deserving of it.