What type of hacker is classified as a hacktivist?

A hacktivist is defined as a hacker who uses their skills and knowledge to promote political agendas or social change, often through protest methods such as leaking information. The essential characteristic of hacktivism is that it combines hacktive skills with a specific ideological or political motivation, aiming to raise awareness, cause disruption, or influence public opinion by exposing information that may be hidden or suppressed.

In contrast, the other classifications do not align with the core definition of a hacktivist. Those who steal for financial gain focus solely on monetary benefits without any political or social considerations. A malicious insider acts from within an organization, driven by harmful intentions that do not necessarily have a political or activist component. Lastly, inexperienced hackers may use existing tools to exploit systems without a clear ideological motive or the intention to enact change, which is the hallmark of hacktivism.