Introduction
Ever since the infamous attack on the World Trade Center which occurred last September 2001, terrorism is a real, pertinent, and primary cause of concern as of late. Many establishments, particularly airports, are very tantamount on upholding security so as to avoid any more terrorist attacks occurring on a wide scale such as what happened at the World Trade Center.
In spite of these countermeasures, terrorist attacks are still a genuine threat at large. Despite best efforts, many countries are still experiencing terrorist attacks every now and then, thereby putting the safety of many people in danger. On a more alarming note, terrorists have extended attacks not only in the real world; they have come up ways to spread terror in places like the Internet and the like. In the modern times, cyberterrorism is as serious as real word terrorism, except much more alarming given the dependency the modern generation has on technology and the Internet.
Fortunately, antiterrorism measures have increased in scope as well. Cybersecurity is larger and stronger than ever before, to the point that it can be used to defend countries from terrorist attacks. In the United States, technological innovation such as can be used to defend the countries from terrorist attacks so that the community will be terrorist-free and safe to live in.
Importance of Knowing Cybersecurity Measures
For me, knowing about the cybersecurity measures that are employed in order to defend against terrorist attacks is important so that American can be fully aware of how technology can be used to curb terrorist attacks. If the average American citizen knows how security can be used against terrorist attacks, they can protect their personal information themselves, thus reducing the risk that their online identity can be used for terrorist purposes. In addition, the topic also interests me because I find it wonderful that technology, with all its wonders, can also be deployed to combat what is considered one of America’s greatest problems so far: terrorism.
Cybersecurity and Cyberterrorism
In order to better understand how cybersecurity works in protecting people against terrorism, it would be helpful if the term “cybersecurity”, as well as the word “cyberterrorism”, is defined in the first place.
Cybersecurity, as its name implies, is the act of guarding important information by the use of cybernetic technology. More specifically, it refers to the use of Information Technology (IT) security measure in protecting computer parts—either its hardware, its software, or the information contained within. It can be implemented by limiting access to the hardware and the software parts, deploying various software that neutralize cyber threats, and constructing algorithms that do not allow infiltration of security systems in the first place. In this age where digital technology effectively runs society and the proliferation of “smart” devices such as phones and Bluetooth devices, cybersecurity is more important than ever.
Cyberterrorism, on the other hand, refers to acts committed in the cyberspace that can constitute as acts of terrorism. Some of these acts include creating malware to infect computers and make them part of a bot network, using backhanded tactics such as phishing to extract personal and highly sensitive information, engaging in DDoS attacks to shut down servers, and the like. Sending spam emails, some of which contain viruses, could arguably be considered as a form of cyberterrorism as well. Cyberterrorism attacks can be detailed by the following factors: target of the attack, motivation for the attack, method of the attack, domain, action used, and the resulting effect (Ahmad & Yunos, 2012).
This is more dangerous as it sounds—in this age where virtually everything is stored online, the fact that terrorist can access anyone’s information is a big issue. Furthermore, large-scale cyberterrorist attacks can shut down large portions of the cyberspace, therefore disrupting today’s society which is largely dependent on the Internet. It can be argued that cyberterrorism is more dangerous than real terrorism in some cases, because cybercriminals are harder to track down than physical ones. Also, cyberterrorism involves use of machines, which means that these criminals can automate the job thereby producing more victims of these nefarious acts.
It can be agreed upon that cyberterrorism is one of the real threats that modern society faces nowadays. Therefore, it is important that computer experts upgrade our cybersecurity measures to stop cybercriminals and their terrorist attack before they damage society to an irreparable extent. Many studies are focused on the various aspects of cybersecurity and how can they be used to curb terrorist attacks. Some of these articles will be summarized and discussed, and then reviewed on how they affect the fight against terrorism in general.
Importance of Becoming Aware of Cybersecurity Measures
With the advent of the Internet, there has been an increasing need for business to reach out to potentially new customers through cyberspace. In addition, the amount of information one can access is astronomical, as well as the effect of this information through various aspects of the society such as government agencies, and business organizations. Unfortunately, some organizations have difficulty in utilizing the Internet to further their goals. This can lead to them becoming easy targets for cybercriminals.
Smith and Rupp (2002) conducted a study relevant to this topic; they wish to know how a lack of knowledge regarding usage of the Internet and cybersecurity measures can affect businesses and the quest to stop cyberterrorism in these tracks. They have used various statistical analysis such as modelling and the like in order to determine the risk of cyberterrorism by using preexisting measure. In that way, people involved in using business and Internet can become aware of the dangers of cyberterrorism, and therefore employ various methods in order to protect themselves from falling victim to cybercrime. In knowing cybersecurity, they can also manage to not become overly paranoid with the risks associated with using the Internet as a business tool.
This study explores cyberterrorism in its early levels—it was published in 2002, more or less a year ago since the infamous Twin Tower attacks, so the issue of terrorism is still fresh at that time. The purpose of this journal is to make people, specifically businessmen, aware that there is the threat of cyberterrorism. In turn, they can be countered by following steps that ensure that their security is protected.
One important information in this study concerns the motive of cybercriminals in attacking security systems. The study asserted that some hackers use the information for financial or personal gain, while others do it for the mere exploitation of vulnerabilities in security systems.
One obvious flaw of this study, however, is that is not up-to-date with regard to the measures of cybersecurity—cybersecurity and cyberterrorism nowadays have improved significantly since them. However, it presents a clear issue that there is a need to become familiarized with the benefits of using cybersecurity to protect one’s personal information from being exploited by terrorists.
Issues with Cybersecurity
Although it has been established that cybersecurity is an effective way in eradicating cyberterrorism, it can be said that there the Information Technology still faces some problems when it comes to using cybersecurity in combating terrorism. There is still more research and studies needed in order to address the weaknesses of cyber security system, especially that cyberterrorism is improving to a remarkable extent.
Westby (2007) has enumerated some ways in which terrorists can use technology to further their criminal deeds. Some of these ways include communicating with potential recruits and to let society know of their plants, raising and funding money to be used in their activities, conspiring with fellow terrorists, and spreading their propaganda in order to sow discord in the general community. In addition, she remarked that the ways of the terrorists far surpass the United States’ traditional way of capturing enemies of the state, thus making them harder to catch.
In order for cybersecurity to effectively neutralize the threat of security, there is a need to address and fortify three critical weaknesses in the cyber security system: the inability to fully locate and track communication happening in cyberspace, the lack of laws regarding the ways in the cyberspace, and the lack of effective information sharing. If these three are strengthened, then there war against terror will be closer to being won than ever before.
Like in the previous study, one glaring fault of this study is that the information here is outdated, especially when it comes to the fault in our security system. Communication can now be tracked effectively than ever before. However, the art regarding the laws on the Internet, as well as the lack of control over sharing information, still are true even to this day. Nonetheless, the study provides a clear information on the ways in which terrorists can use technology for their crimes, and it provides an effective information on how they can be addressed. As a whole, the study shows what parts of cybersecurity need to be addressed, as well sheds light on the side of the terrorists when it comes to technology.
Smart Grid Security
One of the most recent innovations when it comes to cybersecurity is the smart grid security. A smart grid security, as defined by Aloul et al (2012), is a form of cyber security measure that incorporates the traditional electric power grid with information and communication technology in order to provide electricity demands and provide consumer security at the same time.
In Aloul et al’s study, they have identified various threats on the smart grid security, as well as cited some ways in which these threats can be solved. These vulnerabilities should be addressed because if they are left unchecked, then the security of the system may be at risk to potential hackers. Some of these threats are: the huge amount of information that this security system collects, a great number of intelligent devices that can connect with the smart grid and thus provide a potential entry way for hazards, physical issues, power systems acting as weak security points, inherent risks in using Internet protocol, and human resources issues. They acknowledged that the level of information technology currently available today may not be enough to properly and sufficiently address these problems, but it can be feasible as improvements in cyber security are made. At the end, it was concluded that smart grid systems are a reliable way to combat cybercrime and cyberterrorism, and there are ways in which this type of security measure can be improved.
This article is relevant because it presents a relatively new breakthrough in the world of cybersecurity, which is in the form of the smart grid system. If the smart grid security is involved, then cyber terrorist attacks can significantly be reduced on a large scale. The United States must then concentrate on this technology to curb threats of terrorism especially in the digital world.
Personal Cyber Security
However powerful the smart grid security system may be, it is only applicable to protect computer on a wide range because of the sheer resources required to run the system. When it comes to cybersecurity on smaller levels, there is still much work to be done on. One example of small-level cybersecurity is the usage of laptops and PCs by ordinary users. Therefore, everyone should know of some of the basics in cyber security so as to protect themselves from cyberterrorist attacks on a small scale. In order to promote cybersecurity, Kritzinger and Solms (2010) suggested using awareness enforcement to educate the general public about basic cybersecurity.
One primary target of cybercriminals are computer users themselves, since many of them are unaware as of how they secure confidential information despite being increasingly dependent on the Internet. As a result, many of them fall victim to classic scams such as password and identity theft, spear-phishing and the like. As suggested in the study, one way of letting users know of the risks of not protecting their information is by forcing them to undertake a class detailing the risks involved in cyber space. They call this the E-Awareness Model, which will help them become aware of the basics of cybersecurity.
This proposal has both good and bad merits. On one hand, it is annoying if a model forces a computer user to acquaint with the dangers of cyberspace, especially if a user knows very well about this topic already. This can lead to many complaints, citing that it can be a source of inconvenience. On the other hand, educating people about the dangers of the internet is not a bad idea at all. Many Internet users are very lax about the information they share, unaware that they can be used against him or her. If a forced tutorial can let them learn of the basic facts, then it is beneficial in the long run.
In addition to letting the general public aware of the benefits of cybersecurity, this study also presents the part of cyber security that is always overlooked: how ordinary people secure themselves from cyber-attacks. Usually when cybersecurity is thought of, it involves technological experts, but it should also be kept in mind that ordinary people can defend themselves from cyberterrorism as well. By remembering to keep their personal information such as passwords and PINs confidential, as well as shielding themselves from malware, civilians can play a part in keeping the Internet a safe place for everyone.
Conclusion
In our modern world, two fields with regard to overall security are becoming increasingly relevant—cybersecurity and cyberterrorism. Because terrorist attacks are not only being carried in the real world but also over the internet as well, cybersecurity as a whole needs to be improved so as to protect the security of the general society. Based from various studies on cybersecurity and cyberterrorism, the following can be inferred: there is a need to educate the public about the benefits and the basics of cybersecurity, and cybersecurity should be improved to combat the ever-rising threat of cyberterrorism. As a whole, it can be said that cybersecurity is proof that technology can be used to address anti-terrorism in the United States.
References
Ahmad, R. & Yunos, Z. (2012). A dynamic cyber terrorism network. International Journal of Computer Science and Information Security 10(2), 149 – 158. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/openview/35e298ac0b7c84ad9a2db7be07f4c89e/1?pq-origsite=gscholar
Aloul, F., Al-Ali, A. R., Al-Dalky, R., Al-Mardini, M. & El-Hajj, W. (2012). Smart grid security: Threats, vulnerabilities and solutions. International Journal of Smart Grid and Clean Energy 1(1). Retrieved from http://www.ijsgce.com/uploadfile/2012/1011/20121011121836539.pdf
Kritzinger, E. & von Solms, S. H. (2010). Cyber security for home users: A new way of protection through awareness enforcement. Computers and Security 29(8), 840 – 847. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167404810000775
Smith, A., & Rupp, W. (2002). Issues in cybersecurity; understanding the potential risks associated with hackers/crackers. Information Management & Computer Security 10(4), 178 – 183. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09685220210436976
Westby, J. R. (2007). Countering terrorism with cyber security. Jurimetrics 47(3), 297 -313. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/29762975?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
