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Dangers of cyber terrorism
Dangers of cyber terrorism
Dangers of cyber terrorism
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Scope
This original product provides perspective and understanding of the nature and capacity of an emerging threat against the United States. This assists federal, state, local and tribal government agencies and authorities, and other entities develop priorities for protective measures and understanding relating to an existing or emerging threat to the national security of the United States.
Key Terms:
- Cyber Terrorism: “Any premeditated, politically motivated attack against information, computer systems, computer programs, and data which results in the violence against non-combatant targets by sub-national groups or clandestine groups.”
A cyber terrorism attack is designed to inflict physical violence or financial destruction. Possible cyber terrorist targets include banking facilities, military bases, power plants, air traffic control centers and water systems.
- Cyber Attack: “An assault against a computer system or network.”
A cyber attack has the potential to create extreme economic damage that is out of proportion to the low cost of initiating the attack. A successful cyber attack targets vulnerable computers, forcing them to malfunction or become disabled, whereby businesses, financial institutions, medical institutions and government agencies are not able to use them.
Key Question(s)
* Could cyber terrorism be the next threat to the national security of the United States?
- What is the background of cyber terrorism? What can the past tell about cyber terrorism and its threat to the United States?
- What effect can cyber terrorism have on the United States?
- What is the likelihood of a cyber terrorism attack? Are critical infrastructures vulnerable to an attack and are te...
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...tent. 21 January 2010.
Cyber Terrorism. Directions Media. October 2003. http://www.directionsmag.com/article.php?article_id=432
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Cyberterrorism. Georgetown University, Dorothy E. Denning. 23 May 2000.
Cyberterrorism: How real is the threat?. United States Institute of Peace. December 2004.
Leftwing Extremists Likely to Increase Cyber Attacks Over Coming Decade. DHS Assessment. 26 Jaunuary 2009.
Cyber Terrorism Attacks. IGI Global. 20 January 2010. www.intelink.gov.
In a doomsday cyber attack scenario, answers are unsettling. Los Angeles Times. 17 February 2010
In a doomsday cyber attack scenario, answers are unsettling. Los Angeles Times. 17 February 2010
Officials Warn al-Qaeda ‘Certain’ to Try Attack Soon. U.S. News. 03 February 2010.
At this juncture, it may be somewhat difficult to accept the proposition that a threat to the telecommunications grid, both wired and wireless, in the United States could potentially be subject to a catastrophic cyber attack. After careful research on the subject, it appears the potentiality of an event of such magnitude, which either disrupts one or the other grids for a long period or destroys either, is both theoretically and realistically impossible. It may be that proponents—those who advance such theories—equate such “doomsday” scenarios as if a cyber attack would or could be of the same magnitude as a conventional or nuclear military strike. Terms such as “cyber Pearl Harbor,” “cyber 9/11” and “cyber Vietnam” have been used to describes potential catastrophic cyber attacks and yet, “Though many have posited notions on what a ‘real’ cyber war would be like, we lack the understanding of how such conflicts will be conducted and evolve.” (Rattray & Healey, 2010, p. 77). Yet, the U.S. government continues to focus on such events, as if the plausibility of small-scale cyber attacks were not as pressing.
Terrorism represents a continuing threat to the United States. It is the most significant threat to our national security. Terrorist attacks have definitely left many concerns about the possibilities of future incidents of terrorism in the United States. Since the events of September 11, 2011, Americans and much of the world are afraid. Americans are at war with terrorism and no longer feel comfortable. A part of this unease feeling has to do with cyber terrorism.
Petallides, C. J. (2012). "Cyber Terrorism and IR Theory: Realism, Liberalism, and Constructivism in the New Security Threat." Student Pulse, Vol 4, No 3 Accessed online http://www.studentpulse.com/a?id=627> on 12/03/14
What concerns the government of the United States most is the security of the critical infrastructure from the cyber threats. The nation is depending heavily on the technology in most of its critical sectors to keep it up and running. Thus, this makes its more vulnerable to cyber-attacks from outsiders and insiders. Therefore, its protection must be a priority.
Security remains a vital component which deters terrorist attacks towards critical domestic infrastructure and high-payoff targets. Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats still remain an area of high concern and these threats will, more than likely, be directed towards critical infrastructure often controlled by private sector organizations (DHS 2014, 19).
The Department of Homeland Security’s “2014 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review” reviews six strategic challenges that are believed to be at high risk within the United States. Quadrennial Homeland Security Review is required to be updated every four years as it discusses present and futures risks, threats and consequences. The six strategic challenges that were analyzed from 2014 to 2018 are terrorist threats, cyber threats, biological concerns, nuclear terrorism, transnational criminal organizations and natural hazards. Local communities, to include counties and cities, have their own specific process tailored to the threats, hazards and risk they may encounter. These local areas also prioritize the specific threats to determine the resources
As a patriot of this great nation, what has been presented is of extreme if not grave concern. The challenges of cyberculture to our nation’s security have been revealed . To what extent our security has been breached is a matter of speculation but be informed that these breaches must be met with complete counter active success - failure to do so is not an option.
While specific intelligence of a looming attack would be ideal, when it comes to calculating a vulnerability assessment, we are more likely to be forced to assume risks and weigh those risks amongst many factors. Every student should understand the procedures involved in determining an overall likelihood score of a terrorist attack utilizing the Threat and Vulnerability Assessment. This paper will cover the assets with the highest likelihood scores, as well as those with the lowest scores. Additionally, it will cover the methods in which these scores were obtained and whether I agree with the final outcome, including any biases I may have observed.
What is cyber warfare? Cyber warfare is the infiltration of a nation’s computers or networks by another nation or organization with the intention of espionage or causing damage
Cybersecurity is the technology that protects computers and networks from unauthorized personnel. Ever since computers have expanded to homes and the workplace; the need for cyber security has grown exponentially. Millions of people around the world have access to the internet at a given time, and this allows for predators to attack, scam, hack, and intrude on personal and government information. Cybersecurity is designed to counteract these attempts to ultimately allow for safe networks and computers.
The term “cyber terrorism” refers to the use of the Internet as a medium in which an attack can be launched such as hacking into electrical grids, security systems, and vital information networks. Over the past four decades, cyber terrorists have been using the Internet as an advanced communication tool in which to quickly spread and organize their members and resources. For instance, by using the instantaneous spread of information provided by the Internet, several terrorist’s groups have been able to quickly share information, coordinate attacks, spread propaganda, raise funds, and find new recruits for their cause. Instantaneous and unpredictable, the technological advantages these terrorists have obtained from using the Internet includes
Many nations in the world - the United States, China, Russia, Iran, Germany, and more- use cyber warfare as a method of conducting sabotage and espionage. Nations, such as China and Russia, use espionage in order to prevent their economy and their military technology from falling behind by stealing advanced nations’ technology. Other nations, including Israel and Iran, focus on sabotaging other nations to cripple them, by sending malwares that destroy important data on the system, from advancing their technology and costing them a decent amount of money due to repairs. Another popular cyber attack used, mainly with hacktivist, government- sympathetic groups not owned by the government, and nations less advanced in technology, is Denial-of-service, or DoS. DoS is used to hinder the target’s website and other things that are maintained by computers by making it unavailable to intended users. People argue there are no benefits for cyber warfare due to its potential destructive powers and instant process of destruction. While other people-looking from a different view find that cyber warfare does have its benefits. They argue that an important benefit is that cyber warfare takes place in cyber space meaning that it does not physically harm people. They also argue that cyber warfare draws the awareness of the nation on the ever increasing dangers of cyber warfare and forces the government to set up stronger cyber security to fend off international attacks, which also help protect the government from internal hackers. It also creates more jobs for hackers, who use their knowledge to increase the security instead of harm it. Although cyber warfare produces damaging effects on a nation, in the long run, it crea...
The nation has become dependent on technology, furthermore, cyberspace. It’s encompassed in everything we deliver in our daily lives, our phones, internet, communication, purchases, entertainment, flying airplane, launching missiles, operating nuclear plants, and implicitly, our protection. The more ever-growing technology empower Americans, the more they become prey to cyber threats. The United States Executive Office of the President stated, “The President identified cybersecurity as one of the top priorities of his administration in doing so, directed a 60-day review to assess polices.” (United States Executive Office of the President, 2009, p.2). Furthermore, critical infrastructure, our network, and internet alike are identified as national assets upon which the administration will orchestrate integrated cybersecurity policies without infringing upon and protecting privacy. While protecting our infrastructure, personal privacy, and civil liberties, we have to keep in mind the private sector owns and operates the majority of our critical and digital infrastructure.
The world is in another cold war, except this time countries are battling for cyber supremacy. Cyberspace is a massive land of ever-changing technology and personal interaction (McGuffin and Mitchell 1). Cyberspace is not only a place where people post pictures and update their profile, but it also plays an enormous role in running a country. Advanced countries use computers to guide their military, keep track of citizens, run their power grids, and hold plans for nuclear devices and nuclear power. Risks to commercial and government concerns are now being noticed and many countries are taking actions to prevent such threats (McGuffin and Mitchell 1).
Cybercrime is a global issue plaguing the world. The dictionary defines cybercrime as “crime conducted via the Internet or some other computer network”(Merriam-Webster). The definition remains very broad because the word “cyber” is defined as “relating to the culture of computers, information technology, and virtual reality.” Due to the growing number of people gaining access to the internet, rapid development of technology, and the globalization of the world, more of the world population is becoming susceptible to involvement in cybercrime – whether it be as a victim or a criminal. Cybercrime involves different levels of the world on both the victim and criminal side from an individual citizen, to small groups, businesses, and the government, to the countries of the world. There are different groups from law enforcement agencies to the U.S. Secret Service, that are attempting to combat the problem through cooperation and preemptive efforts. If these groups combined with the public to protect themselves and the country from criminals that commit cybercrime, the nation’s network and technology servers would be much safer for technology users. Clearly, cybercrime is a problem because it puts internet users at risk of being taken advantage of or harmed.