The Dangers of Cyber-Terrorism

1452 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The disadvantages of cybercrime

In the future, cyber crime will become the leading threat to the safety and security of the American people. Experts on cyber crime agree that cyber crime is an issue that needs to be focused on more in-depth because the wide-spread use of computers by the global economy has made the use of computers and internet vital to everyday life (Siegel, 2009; FBI, 2011). There are 3 major types of cyber crime which includes: cyber fraud, cyber vandalism, and cyber terrorism (Seigel, 2009; Thio, 2010). Cyber terrorism, the more dangerous of the 3, is defined as the use of digital equipment to bring down a country by tapping into its computer based programs and dismantling its infrastructure which includes but not limited to: banking networks, air traffic control systems, gas and oil production, transportation, and emergency services that all rely on computer networks to function (Thio, 2010). Director of National Intelligence, Dennis Blair and Thio (2010), both agree that it is America’s huge dependence on the cyber world for its critical life support functions that makes it severely vulnerable to succumbing to an unprecedented electronic attack. Just like a traditional attack, Cyber terrorism can lead to death or bodily injury, explosions, plane crashes, water contamination, or severe economic loss (Thio, 2010).

First of all, the thing that makes cyber terrorism intrinsically different from standard terrorism attacks is the fact that it is barrier proof and terrorists can bypass the American law because they can operate in countries that do not have laws against cyber terrorism (Siegel, 2009). Cyber terrorists can also use the internet as a supplement to regular attacks because they can obtain information about target countries an...

... middle of paper ...

...d War Is Raging".2011. CNNMoney.

Retrieved July 31, 2011. .

Nakashima, Ellen. (2010). "FBI Director Warns of 'rapidly Expanding' Cyberterrorism

Threat” Washingtonpost.com Retrieved July 23, 20011. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2010/03/04/AR2010030405066.html

"News Corp. to NY Post Staff: 'Preserve' Info Related to Hacks, Bribes”.2011.CNN.com

Retrieved July 25, 2011 .

Sproles, Jimmy, and Will Byars. "Cyber Terrorism".1998. Retrieved July 30, 2011.

.

Thio, Alex 2010. Deviant Behavior. Ally and Beacon: Boston 3rd ed.

Weimann, Gabriel.2004. “Cyberterrorism: How real is the Threat?”United States Institute of

Peace Special Report. Spring 2004 pp.(1-12)

Show More
Related

  • The Role of Federal Agencies in Fighting Digital Crime

    841 Words  | 2 Pages

    Taylor, R. W., Fritsch, E. J., Liederbach, J., & Holt, T. J. (2011). Digital Crime and Digital Terrorism 2nd edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

    Read More

  • Overview and Comparison of Three Types of Terrorism

    1967 Words  | 4 Pages

    This paper will talk about three different types of terrorism. A background of each type will be provided to understand the motivations and goals. The first type that will be discussed is religious terrorism. The second type that will be discussed is suicide terrorism. The third and last type that will be discussed is nationalist terrorism. Each type of terrorism has distinct differences in their goals, motivations, strategy, use of violence, etc. However, the main focus of this paper will be on the difference between each type’s tactics and/or strategy.

    Read More

  • Future Terrorism

    744 Words  | 2 Pages

    The future of America is definitely affected by terrorism and terrorism has benefited from the new technologies that aid and speed up communication around the world. Terrorists can use tactics that they know and manipulate advanced technologies such as the internet. These technological advantages have certainly improved the capabilities of terrorist groups to plan and accomplish their operations. It also offers these terrorists the ability to affect communities faster and much more intensely than earlier terrorists. In order to reduce America's vulnerability to terrorism, in regards to their threats, strategies and tactics, when dealing with the internet, a complete understanding of the nature of America’s enemies is necessary.

    Read More

  • CyberCrime in Australia

    972 Words  | 2 Pages

    Australia is dependent on technology, everything from state security, economics and information collaboration is more accessible resulting in an increased reliance on digital networks. The rapid increase in cyber activity has a symbiotic relationship with cyber crime. The evolving nature of cyber crimes are constantly leaving counter measures obsolete in the face of these new technologies. Australia takes insufficient action against cyber crime, inaction is based on Australia’s previous focus on counter-terrorism. This study will use the Australia’s National Security Strategy 2013 to show the increasing trend towards cyber security. Unfortunately the Australia Government is lacking in the presence of this growing phenomenon. Recently cyber crimes including attacks from Anonymous and Wiki-leaks prove that no network is completely secure. This study will conclude that the exponential growth of the Internet has resulted in an inability to properly manage regardless of the governmental strategies being implemented.

    Read More

  • CyberSecurity and the Threat to National Security

    2034 Words  | 5 Pages

    It is difficult to define cyberculture because its boundaries are uncertain and applications to certain circumstances can often be disputed. The common threads of defining cyberculture is a culture which has evolved and continues to evolve from the use of computer networks and the internet and is guided by social and cultural movements reflective of advancements in scientific and technological information. It is not a unified culture but rather a culture that exists in cyberspace and is a compilation of numerous new technologies and capabilities, used by diverse people in diverse real – world locations. Cyberculture, a twentieth century phenomena, has brought challenges unlike any other that the United States has seen in the areas of cyber security and its impact on our most critical institutions. This presentation will focus on the aforementioned three entities where national security is in jeopardy in part due to cyberculture and its intentional use for disruptive and destructive purposes. Breaches of security to the United States Department of Defense, the national power grid and the Chamber of Commerce are very real and omnipresent.

    Read More

  • Cybersecurity Act Of 2012

    882 Words  | 2 Pages

    people’s lives. Hackers are not only threatening people’s own cyber security and privacy but also the United States’ economy, security and all citizens’ lives. On mid-November 2011, Russian hackers failed to attack a water plant in Illinois (Nakashima).Therefore, the Cybersecurity Act of 2012 was made. The Cybersecurity Act of 2012 is “a bill to enhance the security and resiliency of the cyber and communications infrastructure of the United States” (“S.2015”)The Cybersecurity Act of 2012 was the battle between the national security and personal privacy.In this paper I will lay out three different position people take on the issue about The Cybersecurity Act of 2012 .

    Read More

  • Terrorism and Technology

    924 Words  | 2 Pages

    Terrorism and Technology It wasn’t until the morning of September 11th that America began to question just how safe we really are. As the world watched the devastation on the news, everyone was looking for comfort. However, often times when something as horrific as this happens, the ones you look to for comfort are looking back at you for comfort. Many people found what piece of mind they could, through technology, during this horrible time. The September 11 terrorist attacks have had both positive and negative impacts on the use of computers and technology.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Cyber Security

    1284 Words  | 3 Pages

    Criminals take advantage of weak cybersecurity measures in order to perform criminal acts and warfare over the Internet.

    Read More

  • Terrorism in the 21st Century

    3445 Words  | 7 Pages

    On September 11, 2001, the destruction of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon changed the mindset and the opinion of nearly every American on the one of the most vital issues in the 21st century: terrorism (Hoffman 2). Before one can begin to analyze how the United States should combat such a perverse method of political change, one must first begin to understand what terrorism is, where it is derived from, and why there is terrorism. These issues are essential in America’s analysis of this phenomenon that has revolutionized its foreign policy and changed America’s stance in the world.

    Read More

  • Importance of Cyber Security

    1732 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Cyber Crime and Cyber Law

    2731 Words  | 6 Pages

    Taylor, R.W., Caeti, T.J., Loper, D.K., Fritsch, E.J. & Liederbach, J., 2006, Digital Crime and Digital Terrorism, 1st Edition, New York: Pearson Education, Inc.

    Read More

  • Cybercrime Essay

    2700 Words  | 6 Pages

    As the internet has evolved it is now a part of many people’s daily lives and with that, many could not function or conduct their daily business or lives without it. It is impressive that we can now communicate and even see someone all the way across the country with just a few clicks of a mouse. But as technology changes and progresses seemingly for the good, many will always find ways to exploit technology and use it with the intent of committing crime, turning a positive tool into a negative one. As such the negative side of the World Wide Web, cybercrime has evolved as just one of the major disadvantages of the internet. Cybercrime itself is a broad term and can and does include any crime that is committed via the internet or computer network including seemingly minor acts as downloading music, to denial of service attacks, to even acts of cyber-terrorism. With the newly formed threat of cybercrime has also come new ways for law enforcement to attack and prevent it as well but with limited resources not much can be changed but to continue to prevent new methods from approaching the cybercrime world. This is not only just in our own neighborhoods but is at an international scale. This paper generates the insight about the overall rise of cybercrime among our societies. The main focus of this paper is to describe the types of computer crimes and its effects on individuals and businesses.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Cyber Crime

    1880 Words  | 4 Pages

    Currently most cyber criminals are only prosecuted for misdemeanor offenses because law enforcement does not see how these crimes impact the nations. The judicial system does not fully know how to view these crimes to fairly judge them. During a speech in San Francisco FBI Director Robert Mueller stated (Hofmann, M. 2012) “Applying the lessons learned in fighting terrorism to dealing with the cyber threat is certainly a reasonable approach for now. But even as dealing with terrorism required a different approach than dealing with a conventional military enemy, effectively dealing with cyber crime will require new strategies as well”. This is a very chilling comparison and speaks to how impactful cyber criminals can be. They should be treated as terrorists for most of the crimes they commit. Some steal money or circulate pornography. Others though shut down systems in governments, steal governmental information, or expose confidential information. These are all the acts of a terrorist or spy, not a common criminal. And all must be dealt with a different

    Read More

  • Cyber-Crime is a Serious Problem

    2271 Words  | 5 Pages

    Millions of people around the world use computers and the internet every day. We all use it in school, work even at home, computers have made us life easier, it has brought so many benefits to the society but it has also brought some problems and cybercrimes is one of them. “The times have really changed,” said Greg Garcia, the department’s assistant secretary for cyber security and communications. “We’re seeing now phishing, farming, botnets … war dialing and domain server spoofing. And we’re seeing coordinated cyber-attacks against nation states.” (Fowler 5) Cybercrime is one of the most prevalent and most popular rising crimes being committed today. This is criminal activity done using computers and the Internet. There are millions victims around the world everyday who face these problems. Most people become victims of these at one time or another, but there are ways to avoid or deal with cybercrime by protecting yourself appropriately. I also was one of those victims who faced a similar problem. This unfortunate truth forces me to understand that computers and the Internet have made our lives easier in many ways. However, it is unfortunate that people also use these technologies to take advantage of others through identity theft, hacking attempts, and malicious use of software.

    Read More

  • CyberCrime

    2979 Words  | 6 Pages

    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.

    Read More

More about The Dangers of Cyber-Terrorism

Open Document