Cyberterrorism is a term in common use today, throughout the world, with many serious social implications. To best understand the causes and effects of cyberterrorism, one must understand the meaning of cyberterrorism, yet no single, clear definition for cyberterrorism currently exists. This is a potentially very dangerous form of terrorism because it doesn't get the attention of the public that bombings or killings do, yet cyberterrorism has increasingly greater consequences as the world becomes more and more reliant upon modern technology such as computers and the World Wide Web.
Much of the world is controlled by computers these days, so if cyberterrorists gain the right access, they could have a very powerfully negative impact upon the world. The reason that cyberterrorism is especially dangerous is because the general population knows so little about it. In order for people to become more aware of the risks of cyberterrorism, it is necessary to take a look at the root of the problem, to help to understand what cyberterrorism actually is.
The most widely accepted definition of cyberterrorism comes from Dorothy E. Denning of Georgetown University (Denning). Professor Denning describes cyberterrorism as follows:
"Cyberterrorism is the convergence of terrorism and cyberspace. It is generally understood to mean unlawful attacks and threats of attack 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. Further, to qualify as cyberterrorism, an attack should result in violence against persons or property, or at least cause enough harm to generate fear. Attacks that lead to death or bodily injury, explosions, plane crashes, water contamination, or severe economic loss would be examples. Serious attacks against critical infrastructures could be acts of cyberterrorism, depending on their impact. Attacks that disrupt nonessential services or that are mainly a costly nuisance would not."
Although many may contest this very specific definition of cyberterrorism, most would agree on the basic, most pure form of cyberterrorism that Denning describes. So in short, cyberterrorism is a type of terrorism of cyberspace whereby telecommunications and computer services are disrupted through the use of viruses, worms, and other malicious materials. Most anyone that has owned a computer and spent time on the Web has become familiar with viruses, spyware, and even come across the seemingly benign pop-up advertisements. As cyberterrorists become more knowledgeable, and make better use of data mining and other questionable methods of information attainment, the threat of cyberterrorism increases.
Data mining is one of the most popular tools that cyberterrorist use to facilitate their operations. Data mining is, "the automated extraction of hidden predictive information from databases...Data mining software allows users to analyze large databases to solve business decision problems" (Thearling). Data mining software is a technology based on algorithms and statistics that takes a wide array of information, and finds certain patterns, depending on what the user is interested in. It should be noted that the type of algorithm used is immensely important to the success of the data mining software. If the software is looking at the wrong trends in data, then it will most likely also fail to uncover the correlations in the information that the user may be seeking. Cyberterrorists can use data mining to gain important information about their victims, to better allow them to plan and carry out their attacks. Though data mining itself doesn't necessarily inflict damage upon a user or population, it is a popular tool in the realm of cyberterrorism.
Another, more well-known tool used by cyberterrorists is a computer virus. A computer virus is "a small piece of software that piggybacks on real programs. For example, a virus might attach itself to a program such as a spreadsheet program. Each time the spreadsheet program runs, the virus runs, too, and it has the chance to reproduce (by attaching to other programs) or wreak havoc" (Brain). E-mail viruses work in a very similar way, by attaching themselves to an e-mail, and then reproducing by attaching to another person's e-mail when they open the infected document.
Worms have also become popular in the world of cyberterrorism, for their ability to exploit the weaknesses in servers. "A worm is a small piece of software that uses computer networks and security holes to replicate itself. A copy of the worm scans the network for another machine that has a specific security hole. It copies itself to the new machine using the security hole, and then starts replicating from there, as well" (Brain).
Trojan horses are similar to viruses and worms, but they do not replicate like their malicious counterparts. Trojan horses are programs disguised as games, or other non-malicious software that actually do damage to the computers that run them. Trojan horses may even be programmed to erase the hard drive of the computer that runs it (Brain).
One of the most frightening aspects of cyberterrorism is that anyone with access to the Web also has the ability to become a cyberterrorist. As Jamila Harrison Vincent warns, "One of the most frightening aspects of cyberterrorism is that virtually any coward can commit an act" (Vincent). The internet weapons used by cyberterrorists have the ability to wreak havoc throughout entire networks, but they also have the potential to lead to serious physical harm to people. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 have been linked to internet activities used to coordinate and plan the attacks. The threat of cyberterrorist attack and conspiracy has become so great that after the 2001 attacks, President George W. Bush developed the Office of Cyberspace Security (Weimann). Terrorists don't need to use bombs or other conventional weapons to cause mass chaos. With the heavy reliance on the internet and computer technology, a cyberterrorist attack has the ability to cause widespread confusion and potentially serious damage. "A survey of 725 cities conducted in 2003 by the National League of Cities found that cyberterrorism ranked alongside biological and chemical weapons at the top of a list of city officials' fears" (Weimann).
Just as anyone with internet access has the ability to become a cyberterrorist, anyone with a connection to the Web also has the potential to become a target of cyberterrorism. As Sarah Gordon of Symantec explains, "There are a large number of potential targets that involve, either directly or indirectly, computers" (Gordon). Gordon also explains to the public that cyberterrorists don't have to impact mass numbers of people to have a profound effect. In the case of identity theft, a target can be a single person, yet have an immensely negative impact upon that person. Identity theft is just another one of the tools that cyberterrorists can use to facilitate their awful deeds. By stealing someone else's identity, cyberterrorists can cover up their operations, to some extent. They can also use the resources that are available to the person whose identity has been stolen.
Given the overwhelming number of resources available to cyberterrorists, and the unprecedented high number of users on the internet today, the only clear approach to preventing cyberterrorism is through public education. Cyberterrorists have nearly unlimited access to the most private and personal data if they are able to obtain the right passwords, etc. It is imperative that the public be more aware of the implications of using the internet, and the security threats that are out there.
Anti-spyware, and anti-virus software is vital in the computing world, and for good reason. Even Apple users are now realizing a risk in their computer use. Recently an Apple user named Benjamin Daines came under the attack of a computer virus. Macs have long been touted as being immune to viruses and other malicious materials, but Daines' experiences show that the constantly evolving world of cyberterrorism has taken another turn. The once impenetrable wall that was the Apple machine seems finally to have been breached. In a world where cyberterrorism is on the rise, viruses for Macs could have much more sever consequences than the typical worms and spyware. The fact that the Mac system has been hacked shows how vulnerable computer users really are.
Though it gets little attention in comparison to the suicide bombings, and other various attacks upon mankind, cyberterrorism is a real and very dangerous threat to the world. With the overwhelming ingenuity and intelligence of the computer hackers throughout the world, it looks as though cyberterrorism could, quite possibly, be prevalent for a very long time to come. There is hope that as computer companies grow wiser in their production, and government agencies such as the Office of Cyberspace Security become more astute, cyberterrorists will be less and less effective. However, for the time being, it is imperative that individual internet users take it upon themselves to secure themselves from cyberterrorism. Perhaps we will never again live in a world where we feel truly free from cyberterrorist threats, but if internet users operate with the most caution, as safely as possible, there is hope that the activities of cyberterrorists may be thwarted.