Operation Payback

Operation Payback was a cyber campaign initiated by the hacktivist group Anonymous in 2010. Its primary goal was to retaliate against organizations perceived as attacking or limiting the internet and free speech, particularly in response to actions against WikiLeaks. Participants used Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks to overwhelm the websites of their targets, making them unavailable. The operation highlighted issues of digital privacy, censorship, and the power of collective online action, sparking debates about the ethics and legality of such hacktivist activities.