Cyberterrorism

               Cyberterrorism

   Meaning    
              Cyberterrorism is the use of Internet based attacks 

in terrorist activities, including acts of deliberate, large-scale 

disruption of computer networks, especially of personal computers 

attached to the Internet, by the means of tools such as computer 

viruses.





            
                

cases

              
                There are a lot of cases we can summarize according to the terrorism attack by using social networking, but one of the idea which can be seen via the terrorist attacks by misleading the social devices is in Mumbai city. Terrorists carried out multiple attacks on Mumbai in what many refer to as the worst terrorist incident in Indian history. This study, summarized below, explains how the terrorists in question could have used social media for coor-dination and decision-making purposes. The study argues that “the situational information which was broadcast through live media and Twitter contributed to the terrorists’ decision making process and, as a result, it enhanced the effectiveness of hand-held weapons to accomplish their terrorist goal.” To be sure, the “sharing of real time situational information on the move can enable the ‘sophisticated usage of the most primitive weapons.’” In sum, ”unregulated real time Twitter postings can contribute to increase the level of situation awareness for terrorist groups to make their attack decision.”

             


 

   

 Factors

This is happened around the world for some reasons, and the main reasons are:

•  Every documents from the government and important files or softwares are secured using the information technology, so the hackers involve in hacking the profile try to steal the information or manipulate the information for their personal use or organisation.
• There are many advantages over the traditional physical methods of terrorist attacks.
• Society depends heavily on information technology.
• Public works systems such as electrical, water, and traffic control are controlled by computers.
• Communication is used for stock exchanges and banking

Causes &effects of Cyber Terrorism

• Weaken a country’s economy.
• Cause Environmental contamination.
• Endanger public health / safety.
• Alter or erase computerized medical, pharmacy or health insurance record among other things.
• Hinder telecommunication system.
• Shut down electrical power supply.

      

    Examples of cyber terrorism

• In March 1997, a teenage hacker penetrated and disabled a telephone company computer that provided service to the Worcester Airport in Massachusetts, cutting off service to the airport control tower, fire department, security, and weather service for six hours.
• In 1992, a disgruntled former employee of Chevron Corporation’s emergency alert network, hacked into computers in New York and San Jose, California and reconfigured the firm’s emergency alert system so that it would fail during an event. The disabled system was not discovered until an emergency arose at the Chevron refinery in Richmond, California and the adjacent community could not be notified during an accidental chemical release. During the ten-hour period in which the system was down, thousands of people in 22 states and six areas in Canada with Chevron facilities went without the Chevron emergency alert system. As suggested above, hackers also have attacked traffic regulation systems, disrupting traffic lights, with the potential for an increase in motor vehicle collisions.

       Y2K

• Y2K is not a cyber terrorist attack. Instead it demonstrates the possible effects of what kind of effect cyber terrorism will have on the public.
• A sense of fear and despair.

                                   Video in you tube on cyberterrorism