Cyber Security

Different societies have different definition regarding cyberterrorism and what they consider to be an act of cyberterrorism. The comprehensive definition of cyberterrorism contains four different classifications of cyber -attacks and their associated attributes (Ayres & Maglaras, 2016).

Table 1.1 shows the different classification and their associated attribute

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Re:Topic 6 DQ 1

The authors of this article broke down the many different attack types and establish a baseline that distinguishes them from one another. The different attack types we have been hearing about and reading about are labeled as hacktivism, cyber attacks, cyber warfare, and cyberterrorism. The attributes discussed can be used as a guide to distinguish what type of attack it was, and the intentions behind it.  The following are the attributes discussed by Ayres, N. and Maglaras, L.:

        Attribute 1: Computer attacks targeting other computers, computer systems or the information they contain.

This attribute is very broad as it’s basically a computer to computer or system attack. That is why this attribute qualifies to have all four labels previously mentioned.

        Attribute 2: Attack in pursuit of political, social religious aim.

This type of attack is aimed at something and with some more specific purpose, therefore, the tags that are qualified are hacktivism, a form of expression towards a belief, cyber warfare an attack aiming towards politics, or even social, and finally, cyberterrorism also aiming at politics.

        Attribute 3: An attack threatens or produces physical damage against person, property, or critical infrastructure.

This attribute is aimed at cyberwarfare and cyberterrorism, this is personal attacks to a nation’s security by damaging critical infrastructure, and also terrorizing innocent people. This can be related to attacks that are not just cyber but bombers and shooters that are inflicting pain to people for some quarrel they have with government.

        Attribute 4: Attack causes widespread fear or physical intimidation in the target of the attack and beyond the immediate victims.

This is the final attribute and the most specific describing what could be considered an attack towards the nation. Widespread fear, physical intimidation, beyond the immediate victims are keywords describing almost a war like a scenario. The label for this attribute is solely cyberterrorism, and this makes sense because it can be compared to attacks on a nation like 9/11, or attacks in France. These attacks not only target the infrastructure but others watching, reaching various parts of the nation and even the world through the spread of fear.

Social media can spread cyberterrorism, this has been increasing lately not only in the United States but in other parts of the world. ISIS would record videos of execution and they were then uploaded and also distributed through social media. Video content was graphic and was to spread fear around the world to minimize opposes through their wrath in the Middle East, and cause fear in soldiers on the frontlines. Mexican cartels have taken ISIS approach and began filming and uploading executions on the internet. I have even received in a WhatsApp message a video of a decapitation without any knowledge of who sent it or why. This helps the cartels spread fear not only to enemies but also people, government officials, or neighboring nations. Social media has given way to a new meaning of war, inflicting fear in people’s hearts, and a form of intimidation that aids in moments of gunfire collisions.

Ayres, N. & Maglaras, L. A. (2016). Cyberterrorism targeting the general public through social media, Security Comm. Networks, 9, 2864 – 2875. Retrieved from DOI: 10.1002/sec.1568