Top 10 Most Dangerous and Notorious Hacker Groups in the World

Chaos Computer Club (CCC) is a well-known hacker collective that has been educating people about technology since the 1980s, and was founded in Berlin in 1980. It is one of the largest hacker groups in Europe. The mission of CCC is to uncover security vulnerabilities in both government and private sector services. They believe in consulting legal advisors to differentiate between illegal hacking activities and the legal gray areas within hacking.

When the Chaos Computer Club stole 134,000 account details from a bank in Hamburg using their Bildschirm Text website, they solidified their goals. They proved their intentions by returning the stolen money after identifying the security flaw. However, they were charged with providing source code to the KGB from U.S. companies and the government.

Tarh Andishan, a team of 20 highly skilled individuals, is believed to have been formed in Iran in response to the Stuxnet cyberattack, which Iran attributes to a joint effort between the U.S. and Israel. The group made its mark on the global cybersecurity stage with their 'Cleaver Campaign,' positioning themselves as a "force to be reckoned with" in cyber operations.

Spanning 16 countries, the Cleaver Campaign targeted critical infrastructures such as military sites, oil and gas sectors, electricity and utilities, airports, transportation systems, and hospitals. The group is also thought to have successfully infiltrated U.S. Navy networks. Their methods included SQL injection, deep automatic propagation systems, backdoors, and other tactics. Tarh Andishan is particularly alarming as they gained access to airport control systems in countries like South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan.

Global Hell is a hacker organization founded by Patrick Gregory, a former street gang member known as Most HateD. The group consists of approximately 60 members and gained notoriety for hacking around 115 websites and destroying their data, causing millions of dollars in damages. Despite Gregory's transition to computing, his gang operated like a street gang, often leaving the slogan "Global Hell will not die" on the websites they attacked, including the U.S. Army's.

One member of the Global Hell group, Chad Davis, infiltrated the Pentagon's military computers and defaced the Army's homepage with the message, "Global Hell lives. Global Hell will not die." The organization disbanded in 1999 when 12 members were prosecuted for computer intrusion, while 30 others faced lesser charges.

The Level Seven Crew is considered one of the most dangerous hacker organizations in the world, but the group is perhaps best known for bombing the U.S. embassy in 1998 on September 7, 1999. This hacker collective was recognized in Attrition's Top 20 Most Active Hacking Groups of All Time, claiming responsibility for more than 60 unauthorized computer system intrusions in just 1999. The gang eventually disbanded after the FBI raided the supposed 'hideout' of their leader on February 25, 2000.

Level Seven is credited with being the first hacker group to successfully breach Morocco's .ma domain and servers. By acknowledging over 60 unauthorized system intrusions within a single year, the group secured its spot in Attrition's Top 20. Some notable targets included First National Bank of America, the Federal Geographic Data Committee, NASA, and Sheraton Hotels.

Morpho, also known as Wild Neutron, is a well-funded hacker group that has carried out numerous high-profile attacks since 2011, targeting companies in tech, pharmaceuticals, and investment sectors. While it may not be state-sponsored, the group is notorious for stealing internal data for financial gain. Tailored Access Operations, associated with Morpho, has targeted major global corporations such as Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, and Twitter through zero-day exploits. These exploits allow hackers to gain powerful access before the software providers are aware of the vulnerabilities.

What sets this group apart from basic attacks like DDOS, which only overload a server's traffic for a limited time, is their sophistication. Morpho's operations are marked by advanced tactics, such as cross-platform malware, fully documented code, payment in Bitcoin for hosting services, and multi-stage command-and-control networks with encrypted virtual machines. The group also uses English and excels at covering their tracks.

Without Edward Snowden, the world might never have known about Tailored Access Operations (TAO). This elite group is considered to have some of the best hacking abilities globally, with a reputation for gathering extensive data on US phone systems. Since their existence was revealed, more details about their operations have continuously emerged. Today, they have around 600 personnel based in the NSA's main complex in Maryland, with additional branches in Hawaii, Georgia, Texas, and Denver.

TAO possesses highly sophisticated and unique capabilities that are hard to imagine. One of their standout tools is QUANTUM SQUIRREL, which allows them to appear anywhere on the internet as anyone. They have infiltrated some of the most widely used computer systems and often have physical access or collaborate with global networking and hardware companies. The group is also known for pressuring companies to insert vulnerabilities into their own systems, which TAO then exploits.

Anonymous is arguably the most famous "hacker" group of all time. Unlike other hacking organizations, Anonymous is not a single individual, but rather a decentralized collective with no formal members or hierarchy. They are most known for their symbolic fight against ISIS while wearing Guy Fawkes masks, embodying a vigilante spirit that opposes injustice wherever it is found. This identity is deeply linked to their use of the Guy Fawkes mask.

Since emerging in 2003, Anonymous has been responsible for a wide range of high-profile cyberattacks. Their targets have included major corporations such as Amazon, PayPal, and Sony, as well as organizations like the Westboro Baptist Church and the Church of Scientology. They have also attacked the Pentagon, targeted Visa and MasterCard for blocking donations to WikiLeaks, and shut down websites associated with ISIS. Members of Anonymous have been arrested in countries like the Netherlands, the U.S., the UK, Australia, Spain, and Turkey.

Lizard Squad can be compared to Xbox Underground in that both groups focus on attacking gaming networks such as PlayStation Network and Xbox Live. They are particularly known for their distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on gaming-related websites. Lizard Squad declared their dissolution on September 3, 2014, but quickly launched a series of attacks. On January 26, 2015, the Malaysia Airlines website was hacked and redirected visitors to a page displaying a tuxedo-clad lizard and the phrase “Hacked by Cyber Caliphate.”

Media reports around the world noted that some versions of the takeover included the phrase “ISIS will prevail,” sparking concerns about Lizard Squad's possible links to the Islamic State. In addition to gaming services, the group has targeted North Korea’s internet, attacked Sybil on the Tor network, and struck Machinima.com. Julius Kivimaki (zeekill), a member from Finland, was charged with 50,000 computer-related offenses.

LulzSec, short for Lulz Security, is a notorious black-hat hacker group that gained access to high-profile targets like Sony, News International, the CIA, FBI, Scotland Yard, and more. They were so infamous that, during their hack of News Corporation’s accounts, they spread a false rumor claiming Rupert Murdoch had died.

Despite declaring that they had ceased their malicious activities, LulzSec’s motto, ‘Laughing at your security since 2011!’ continues to resonate. The group reportedly attacked media websites like The Times and The Sun to announce the end of their operations. However, many believe LulzSec was formed to raise awareness about the shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals.