This kind mod counts as a hack?

Hello, I have a question regarding modding.

In this case, MTL Media released its own patch including several custom zones, a High Elf zone, the fully explorable Ruins of Lordaeron, etc. The thing is, someone told me that porting and converting the patch and placing it as a mod can be seen as hacking. Is that correct?
It is not a mod to obtain benefits or anything, it just adds more explorable areas in-game, I wanted to know if it can count as hacking, if so, I will give up on it.