Cyber Terrorism - Research Paper Example

? CYBER TERRORISM The objective of this research is to understand the concept of Cyber Terrorism in greater detail and identify its fundamental causes and effects. An attempt has been made, in this study to elaborate on the existence of cyber terrorism in today’s world and examine the various forms in which it is manifested, followed by an examination of the factors that cause it and their corresponding effects on individuals, business entities and other organizations. The dependence on IT networks is a defining feature of most industries in today’s world. The corporate sector, the banking and financial sector, the marketing sector and even the entertainment industry are all globally integrated via the internet. The global internet, in recent times forms the backbone of business and knowledge sourcing, sales and marketing, banking and finance, strategy management and many more systems. Even though the benefits from a common global cyber system are many, the vulnerability of such a system cannot be overlooked. Due to the inclusion of millions of people, proper vigilance on their activities becomes impossible. Thus, the high probabilities of occurrence of cyber crimes exist. This vast database of information comprising of profiles and strategies of companies, details of financial deals between banks or even highly confidential facts about government organizations may at any time be exploited to serve the malicious motives of “cyber criminals and espionage agencies” (“Cyber Attack”) “Cyberterrorism is the convergence of terrorism and cyberspace. It is generally understood to mean unlawful attacks and threats of attacks against computers, networks and the information stored therein, when done to intimidate or coerce a government or its people in furtherance of political or social objectives”. (Gordon and Ford, 4) An attack that causes harm to people or property and leads to mass fear can be considered as cyber terrorism. Examples of this may be attacks that result in water contamination, plane crash, physical injury or death, explosions or massive loss to property or infrastructure. However, attacks that lead to the disruption of trivial services or activities cannot be labeled as cyber terrorism. In the month of April of 2007, Estonia was paralyzed by a series of such attacks that completely rattled the economy. A host of important websites including the Banking sector, the Business sector and the Government sector were targeted by these cyber attacks. Ultimately, it resulted in the collapse of virtual linkages between most of the towns and cities of Estonia and the rest of the world. Immense monetary damages were incurred, the citizens had to face inconvenience and disturbances in conducting their day-to-day activities and some institutions had to be simply shut down. This incident represented the high level of vulnerability of the internet. (“Cyber Attack”) This is just one among the many incidences of cyber crimes that take place all around the world each day. The types of these crimes are as diverse as its causes and thus, produce a range of effects. Forms of Cyber Terrorism: In the 20th century, the internet has emerged as the favorite weapon of mass destruction as well as a convenient means of communication for terrorists. A research has found that the various terrorist groups and organizations make regular use of the internet and the information available on it to carry out attacks on the integrated software system and people, to communicate with the world and to plan and support the different acts of terrorism. The advantages that the global internet offers as a weapon of terrorism are manifold. Firstly, it can be accessed from any place, irrespective of the country, city or locality of a person. These days, the net can be accessed even through cellular phones. Secondly, the use of internet to carry out an attack produces quicker results, within the span of a few seconds. And, finally, the greatest advantage is that the attack cannot be traced back to the guilty as anonymous identities and confidential applications and techniques are used. The internet can be used as a medium of attack on computer systems, routers and servers. Apart from this, it can also be used to cause bodily harm and deaths of people, to damage buildings, to cause plane and train crashes and explosions in market places, shopping malls and other highly populated areas. The internet can be used in the execution of the following types of terrorist attacks. ‘Large Scale Attacks’ can be carried out on the IT infrastructure by the use of bot-nets. In this form, viruses and Trojan elements are used to block the systems and then, these systems are controlled by the terrorists. However, the large scale attacks are inefficient in gaining access to protected information and data.’ Hacking Attacks’ make the access to protected information possible by exploiting the shortcomings of the security system installed. By using these security weaknesses, the computer can be shut down, or it may encounter problems in the performance of functions and hence, access to confidential information becomes easy. Computers in government systems had been hacked several times by terrorists, to gain access to highly classified information on matters of key importance. In ‘Hybrid Attacks’ a general bomb attack is planned and simultaneously, the system of communication of the police force and medical services are blocked. This kind of an attack can cause massive loss of lives and property. ‘Attacks of Physical Damage’ are based on the technique of manipulation of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems. These systems are connected to the internet in order to increase connectivity. But, they may also be accessed by terrorists for planning and execution of attacks. These are the most fatal of all attacks as these contribute directly to the injury or even deaths of the mass population and damage and destruction of infrastructure. (Council of Europe, 21-28) The internet can also be used as a means of communication for the terrorist organizations. They may present their views, issue threats, find new supporters and communicate with their followers and confidantes, through this global platform. Terrorists may use the internet to present their views, propagandas, opinions and justifications for their attacks. Considering the concealed nature of their work, the global internet provides them with an opportunity to interact with the world directly. It is also less time-consuming and less risky than the previous methods of communication. Again, terrorists can also make use of the internet to threaten and warn the general public or government organizations. The net is also useful for recruiting and training purposes of terrorists’ organizations. Potential terrorists can be identified, trained and absorbed within the organization, with the aid of the database and applications of the internet. There are numerous websites that teaches how to make bombs, poisons and other harmful objects. (Council of Europe, 33-37) The existence of advance features like Satellite Images and Constructive Plans of the net makes it efficient for planning and as a support system for terrorist activities. The graphic materials and satellite maps available on the internet make it an effective tool to plan terrorist attacks. These features help in planning attacks and devising escape routes with greater precision. (Council of Europe, 41) It can be stated that the terrorist organizations are capable of attacking all such objects of relevance, in today’s society, that are interlinked with the global internet. The techniques used by them are similar to the ones used by other normal users of the services. The most important sites which attract cyberterrorism activities are the telecom industry, the energy industry and the finance sector. Causes of Cyber Terrorism: Various factors contribute to the high incidence of cyber terrorism in the world of computers and internet. The fundamental causes of cyber terrorism are Increase in the level of technology, Retaliation against physical attacks, High Publicity Quotient, Political and Economic issues, Religious conflicts and Regional Aggression. They are explained in detail as follows. Advancement of technology in the fields of telecommunications, mass media, computers and the internet is the main reason for the surge in cyber crimes. There has been immense development in computer networking and the global internet in the last 10 years. A number of unique features like “access, directory searching and indexing, calendaring and scheduling, Electronic data Interchange- Internet Integration, Internet Fax, HyperText Transfer Protocol, Internet protocol on Cable Data Network, IPng, the Internet Printing Protocol”, (Keen, Mougayar and Torregrossa, 215) Satellite Images and various Planning softwares have been innovated during this time. This range of applications and tools provide easy availability of information on the most confidential matters and aids in the smooth execution of terrorist plans. Web-based designs and plans can be formulated by combining together informational details and programmes, by using the multimedia tool. This overall increase in the level of technology in computers and the internet has led to rise in acts of cyber terrorism. Acts of cyber terrorism have also taken place due to the prior exchange of physical attacks between two or more nations. The conflicts between nations seem to be extended into the virtual world as well. It is a subtle method of spying on data and information of the enemy, exposing weakness that can be utilized to defeat the enemy. The series of cyber attacks between USA and China, in the aftermath of the drowning of an American plane along the coast of China is a good example. There have been numerous such incidents throughout the courses of India-Pakistan wars, Palestine-Israel wars and the war in the Balkan region. (Janczewski and Colarik, 47) The use of the internet for terrorist activities has a high publicity quotient which enables the unlawful organizations to channelize their views, propagandas and ideologies, on a larger scale to the world population. Impacts of cyber attacks are much more publicized as practically, the entire world is a part of the virtual domain. These attacks also result in severe losses, the magnitude of which is much higher than a classic terrorist attack. The fact that key departments like the administration and defense are high targets for cyber attacks proves the point that publicity is the objective behind cyber attacks. (Janczewski and Colarik, 47) Political and Economic issues are one of the main reasons for cyber terrorism. Earlier studies have established a correlation between the two. There are often clashes of political ideologies between two or more nations. An example is the clash of ideals between USA and China; USA is the biggest democracy whereas China follows Communism. Thus, there are differences between their economic, social and cultural conditions as well. These differences incite them both to engage in cyber crimes against one another. (Janczewski and Colarik, 47) Religious Conflicts have been the main reason for wars, bloodshed and attacks since the era of the crusades. Along the same pattern, a study of all the wars and conflicts, in the last 14 years show that majority of the wars have been fought between Christianity-dominated countries and countries practicing Islam as their main religion. This emphasizes the fact that terrorism is based on religious conflicts of two communities. This is because issues of religion can be interpreted in a number of ways, as per the motive of the interpreter in various religions. The religious conflicts have huge implications for Cyber Terrorism also, which is a part of Terrorism. Hacking of religious websites by non-conformists or using the information in them to commit atrocities against a certain community is a day-to-day occurrence. (Janczewski and Colarik, 31) The pursuance of aggressive policies against some countries or the people of a particular community incite them into taking retaliatory actions against the offender. The violence and exploitation to which the people of these countries are subjected to, compel them into forming themselves into terrorist organizations to fight the exploiting countries. A good example is the prevalence of anti-West sentiments, especially towards USA, in African countries like Tunisia. These countries accuse the USA of following aggressive policies towards them. The internet provides an easy solution to the execution of terrorist activities against the opposition. Hence, regional aggression can also be cited as a reason for cyber terrorism. (Janczewski and Colarik, 27) Effects of Cyber Terrorism: Cyber terrorism affects individuals, society, government bodies and business organizations. The main effects of cyber terrorism are “physical destruction, damages to individuals, business, institutions and government segments, including individual and mass dysfunction, job displacement and other economic costs” (Bidgoli, 363) The effects of cyber terrorism on individuals, society, governments and business organizations have been studied separately, as follows. Effects on Individuals: The most profound effect of cyber terrorism on individuals is widespread panic, fear and dysfunction. People, under a cyber attack, will behave in much the same way as any other form of terrorist attack. There is a common feeling of helplessness and desperation on the face of such attacks. Riots, bombings, the World Trade Centre crash of September 11, all are evidences of this fact. Similarly, if cyber terrorism leads to a disruption of transportation and communications, water supply, electricity and other public amenities, people will experience the same level of terror and panic. Another effect is a severe cutback in the consumption pattern of individuals. This is a direct consequence of the fear and grief suffered due to a major catastrophe. The mental well-being of an individual is of paramount importance and in the absence of it, all functions and activities, including consumption, declines. Consequently, the aggregate demand for commodities and services fall as well. Business activities suffer the most and the economic recovery takes a very long time. Due to the fall in aggregate demand level, the economy remains depressed. Thus, the level of investment and trade declines as well, as people feel insecure and hopeless about their future prospects. (Bidgoli, 363) Effects on Society: Acts of cyber terrorism cause the people of the society to develop negative attitudes like anger, hatred, retaliationary tendencies, with are devoid of ethics and morality. Hence, the society becomes traumatized, demoralized and filled with panic and dread. It experiences grief, anger and fear simultaneously. In some cases, a devastating cyber terrorism act can also cause psychological issues in the population of the affected region, as a whole. This negative attitude of the society towards the future results in a downward pressure on financial markets, asset markets, security markets and banking institutions. These sectors transmit this depressionary effect into the real economy and soon, a fall in the level of employment, output and income is observed, leading to economic recession. However, cyber crimes have some favorable effects on the society as well. The society comes together, irrespective of their class, creed, religion, race, in recovering from these misfortunes. As they share their common miseries and sorrows, stronger bonds based on humanity and brotherhoods are formed. (Bidgoli, 364) Effects on Government: Cyber terrorism disturbs the daily pace of government activities by adversely affecting the elements of the government like businesses, individuals and societies. However, much depends on how the government handles the situation that follows after cyber attacks. If handled in a proper way, it may actually strengthen the government of a country, with stronger and more effective policy formulations and increased support from its citizens. Some of the key services of the government like Defense, Communications, Development and Maintenance of Infrastructure and other relevant areas may be affected. If the government fails to address the problems encountered in these fields, the economy may find itself in the realms of complete anarchy and chaos. The occurrence of such incidents stresses the need to formulate more effective policies and laws against cyber terrorism and a number of new and stricter laws may be adopted, aimed at fighting the evils of cyber terrorism efficiently. Also, all the nations of the world may unite together to develop international policies and laws, targeting cyber crimes, for the best results. (Bidgoli, 364) Effects on Business Organizations: Predictability and Stability are the two perquisites for the smooth running of business. Cyber terrorism destroys these two conditions and increases uncertainty and risk in business transactions. As these attacks sabotage factories, plants, infrastructure and the distributional network of companies and organizations, this leads to a fall in the level of stability in the economy. They cause bankruptcy of business organizations, thereby, contributing to losses of jobs and economic dislocation of people. Similar to the effect on the government, the occurrence of cyber terrorism may compel the business corporations to install stronger security systems that cannot be easily accessed. Since in a number of cases at least one of cyber terrorist has proved to be an insider, a greater vigilance over the activities of the employees of these corporations were be maintained and anyone found to be participating in these crimes were subjected to harsh punishment by being dismissed from job and by the initiation of legal proceedings against him/her. (Bidgoli, 363) Recommendations: A number of steps can be taken to create a world free of cyber terrorism. Even though it is considered that cyber terrorism can cause damage to the computer systems in most sectors, usually key sensitive systems like nuclear weapons, banking networks and other defense systems are very well geared to fight cyber terrorism and are not easily accessible. Personal computers are the ones most at risk, as most private computers install outdated security programmes. Thus, effective security programmes needs to be installed and re-installed when it expires, in order to combat cyber attacks. Another solution could be the use of unique identifications to log into systems. Users can be identified by “certificates, smart cards, and biometric technologies like voice, retina and fingerprint identification”. (Ching, 50) A person unable to provide these particulars would be denied access to sensitive systems or the part of the computer system storing sensitive data. Incentives can also be provided to critical sectors like electricity, water supply, etc, to install high security programmes into their systems. Finally, although high technological solutions have been in vogue in recent times, low technological solutions are the best to fight cyber crimes. Internet personnel should be trained well in cyber safety, thus, enabling them to prevent incidences of cyber terrorism. Conclusion: Cyber terrorism is considered capable of causing great anxiety in internet users and severe physical damage to people and property. It is the reality of the 20th century, but the literature on the subject stresses again and again that not a single case of cyber terrorism has been reported that had directly resulted in the loss of lives or property. This is because the skill of the terrorists is an important factor in deciding how well the internet can be used for terrorism. Since the majority of the outlawed groups lack such skills and expertise and adopt unsophisticated methods of operations, some amount of precaution in the usage of internet will be enough to ensure cyber safety. Careful and knowledgeable handling of computers and the global internet is the key to the problem of cyber terrorism. (Centre of Excellence Defence Against Terrorism, 52) References Bidgoli, Hossein. The Internet Encyclopedia, Volume 2. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 2004. Centre of Excellence Defence Against Terrorism. Responses to Cyber Terrorism, Netherlands: IOS Press, 2008. Ching, Jacqueline. Cyberterrorism, New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2010. Council of Europe. Cyberterrorism: The Use of the Internet for Terrorist Purposes, Europe: Council of Europe, 2007.  “Cyber Attack”, ACUS, 2007, September 14, 2011 from: http://www.acus.org/docs/071212_Cyber_Attack_Report.pdf Gordon, Sarah and Ford, Richard, Cyberterrorism? Symantec, September 14, 2011 from: http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/reference/cyberterrorism.pdf Janczewski, Lech and Colarik, Andrew M. Managerial Guide for handling Cyber-Terrorism and Information Warfare. USA: Yurchak Printing Inc., 1943.  Keen, Peter G.W., Mougayar, Walid and Tracy A. Torregrossa. The Business Internet and Intranets: A Manager's Guide to Key Terms and Concepts, USA: 1998. Read More