Cyberterrorism
CJUS 500 Liberty University
CYBERTERRORISM 2
Abstract
The most important issue right now in the country is cyberterrorism. The most recent
extensive breach was the Equifax incident this year. This form of terrorism does not necessarily
occur on homeland, which makes the issue extremely difficult to resolve. The following paper
will discuss how cyberterrorism has affected the criminal justice system, and examine various
ways to resolve the problem. Cyberterrorism is becoming a pertinent issue because the network
is evolving extremely fast. The criminal justice system has the ability to prevent cyberterrorism
by utilizing technology to catch a terrorist before their plan unfolds. In order to protect citizens,
members of the criminal justice field must work together to ensure that terrorists are caught
before they can cause an attack. This paper will examine previous cyberattacks, and conclude
ways in which the criminal justice system learned from those attacks.
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Cyberterrorism, while being written about since the early 2000s, is still not fully
understood as a strategic concept and whether such actions can be deterred is hotly contested.
Some strategists and policy makers believe that acts of cyberterrorism, especially by non-state
actors, may prove to be undeterrable. Yet the leadership of both state and non-state actors tend to
act rationally and function strategically, and therefore they can, in fact, be deterred to some
degree. “Helping to shape the legitimate options following a significant cyberattack, the Law of
Armed Conflict has salient considerations for the deterrence of cyberterrorism, particularly the
principles of military necessity and lawful targeting. Furthermore, when considered holistically
and using all available means, deterrence combined with dissuasion activities can lessen the
likelihood of cyberterrorism, while mitigating any consequences should such a cyberattack
actually occur.” [Joh15]
In today’s world with modern technology, cyber criminals are preying on every single
thing. With technology more prevalent than ever cyberterrorism is at a new height in crime.
Security systems, even those thought to protect our information like Equifax can be breached.
A set of potential responses are located within the realm of cyber defense which
incorporates a number of different strategies that may be used to counter cyberterrorism. With
“firewalls, cryptography and intrusion detection, this type of aim of this approach is to make a
target system invulnerable, so that an attack will cause no harm. Resilience–seeks to enhance the
target system’s survivability, in order to limit the amount of damage an attack might
cause.”[Jar15]
The best way to deter a cyber threat is to find the weaknesses in a system and eliminate
that weakness and make it threat proof.
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A majority of those researchers that opined that cyberterrorism does not pose a significant
threat nonetheless suggested possible countermeasures. They offered two reasons for so doing.
First, they explained that, even if cyber-terrorism does not pose a significant threat, cyberwarfare
and cybercrime do, and it is therefore important to address vulnerabilities in cyber defense.
[Abd14] “A second justification provided was that it is important to develop measures that
prevent the use of terrorism as a method such as counter-radicalization strategies because, even if
cyberterrorism does not pose a significant threat, other forms of terrorism do. These findings
suggest not only that it is possible to justify responses to cyberterrorism without achieving
unanimity on the level of threat it poses.”[Jar15]
As is the case with terrorism, the definition of cyber-terror remains clouded, with
multiple dimensions and meanings competing for consideration. Reflecting this evolving
conundrum, Stohl reminds us of Rollins and Wilson's distinction between intent-based cyber-
terrorism 7 and effects-based cyber-terrorism. According to Stohl the former emphasizes the
intention to “intimidate or coerce a government or people to further a political objective, or to
cause grave harm or severe economic damage' while the latter emphasizes an effect 'disruptive
enough to generate fear comparable to a traditional act of terrorism', regardless of the intentions
of the attackers. That said, a hypothetical example of effects-based cyber-terrorism might include
hacking into a computer at a missile base and activating missile launch codes, sending a missile
into a populated area. The bot-net attack on Estonia provides a plausible real world example of
intent-based cyber-terrorism in that its apparent purpose was to 'send a message'.”[Hel12]
Prevention of cyberterrorism must be a complex team effort. Criminal justice systems
must work together to attempt to prevent more attacks from occurring. Cyber criminals look for
weak points in the systems that they want to breach. Preventative steps against cyberterrorism.
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The first step, training of local law enforcement for prevention and prosecution of cyberattacks.
The second step, creating a process to better assess the vulnerability of targets, cannot be
evaluated by the results of this survey. The final step, improving technological techniques to
ensure that the internet is secure, reduce software vulnerabilities, improve the physical security
of cyber systems, and secure all newly emerging systems.[Ama12] If prevention starts at the
local level, this will deter the cybercriminal in this realm of possibly committing more advanced
cybercrimes. “A plan like this needs to start at the local level with first responders working in
conjunction with infrastructures to ensure that they have the highest level possible of electronic
security to impede in the plans of cyberterrorists. This would include running simulated attack
scenarios in order to predict avenues of attack and work to upgrade security measures to prevent
attacks.”[Ama12]
The overall consequences of cyber-attacks can be ruthless. The recent Equifax breach left
millions of people with their personal information compromised. There is no definite protection
even if you have your social security number frozen by the credit bureaus. The hackers can still
sell your driver’s license numbers on the dark web and only then can you get your number
changed because then you would be considered a “victim” of identity theft.
Technology can be a potential disruptor but also a key enabler in economic development.
Nonetheless, in today's world the more modern and the more digitized you are, the more
vulnerable you are. “Almost all of bank transactions and income tax returns have been done
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online since 2000, virtually all prescriptions are online, the land registry exists only digitally, and
one third of votes in the last several elections were cast online. The highly popular digital
signature, given with either an ID card or mobile ID, is legally equivalent to a traditional
signature.”[Too16]
In conclusion, with the world being in such a digital age, people take for granted how
insecure their personal data is at times. A simple task of using a highly secure password could
keep a cybercriminal from stealing data. A biblical thought from Psalm 16:8, “I have set the Lord
always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.” [Bib] Although
cybercriminal may invade lives, steal data and disrupt companies, staying the path of God will
endure in all troubles that come to follow.
References
Alqahtani, A. (2014). Awareness of the Potential Threat of Cyberterrorism to the National
Security. Journal of Information Security .
Bible. (n.d.).
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Helms, R., Constanza, S., & Johnson , N. (2012). Crouching tiger or phantom dragon?
Examining the discourse on global cyber-terror. Security Journal, 57-75.
Ilves, T. H. (2016). The Consequences of Cyber Attacks . Journal of International Affairs , 175-
178.
Jarvis, L., & Macdonald , S. (2015). Responding to Cyberterrorism: Options and Avenues.
Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, 134-143.
Klein, J. J. (2015). Deterring and Dissuading Cyberterrorism. Journal of Strategic Security.
Parker, A. M. (2012). Cyberterrorism: An examination of the preparedness of North Carolina
local law enforcement. Security Journal, 159-173.
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