The Vendetta mask, in its natural setting. Stian Eikeland It's easy to think of the hacking group Anonymous as a group of punk troublemakers, raising hell online.

Some have even debated whether their extra-legal protests should be labeled terrorist acts.

But that would overlook some of the genuinely good deeds the group — whose members identify themselves with the Vendetta mask — has done.

Whether it's retaliating against kiddie porn sites, helping to identify Chinese military cyber-attacks, or targeting the digital properties of various hate groups, Anonymous can sometimes be a force for good.