Anonymous is well known for its effective hacktivism through Denial of Service DDoS attacks that make strong statements and temporarily shut down sites and payment processors. The group has been off the grid for roughly three years but has since been accredited for cyberattacks against the Minneapolis police department and the city of Minneapolis. Accounts using variations of the Anonymous name have claimed responsibility for the hacks, which include a list of police emails and passwords.
Millions of Twitter users began to follow the Anonymous posters and retweeting them, causing the hacktivist group to trend on the platform. The organization’s alleged account has been actively retweeting opposed to police actions, criticisms of Donald Trump, and defending the Black Lives Matter movement. Although it is unclear who is driving the resurgence or what brought the group our of the shadows, anthropology professor Gabriella Coleman stated that her insider sources reported that they were accompanied by key figures from a decade ago as well as mechanical amplification.
Read More: Hackers and hucksters reinvigorate ‘Anonymous’ brand amid protests