Defacement

When defacement occurs, messages are often left on the victimized web page. Many times, a hacker will leave their nickname, leave messages to friends, or degrade a system administrator for not employing the proper security measures. In most cases, this act is annoying, yet harmless. On the other hand, it can also be used as a distraction to mask more malicious activities, such as installing viruses and malware. Religious and government related sites are often victims of defacement. Hackers use them in order to spread their personal beliefs, while defacing views of the site owner. Offensive images and text is often displayed, along with small clues of the actual perpetrator. Some hackers simply commit defacement for the thrill. Regardless of the purpose, it leaves a site owner vulnerable and could end up costing them in the long run. Following this invasion, victimized sites must be shut down for repairs, placing the administrator at the risk of losing clients and profit.