CYBER – TERROR

How real is the threat?

Cyber-terrorism is a menace that has people’s attention. Headlines, politicians’ focus, and security both the public and experts. But how genuine is the threat? Could terrorists harm vital military infrastructure? Computer systems for business and services? This report looks at the increase of cyber angst. the proof offered by those who forecast impending catastrophe. According to the report, many of these anxieties are inflated: There have been no instances of cyber terrorism. Hackers frequently make mistakes, nothing yet recorded Cyber defenses are stronger than physical defences for terrorists. is frequently believed. Nevertheless, the possible risk is indubitable and appears set to grow; making it It is crucial to confront the threat without expanding or modifying it.

There has been a great deal of concern over the possible threat posed by cyber-terrorism. The threat of cyber terrorists hacking into public and private computer networks and destroying the military, financial, and service sectors of industrialized countries has been widely emphasized by security professionals, lawmakers, and others. The potential threat is, indeed, very alarming. Despite all the dire warnings, there hasn’t been a single case of actual cyber terrorism that has been documented. This begs the question: How significant is the threat?

The fear of cyber terrorism has been fueled by a combination of psychological, political, and economic factors. The term “cyber terrorism” combines two of the biggest psychological anxieties of the modern era. The mistrust and plain terror of computer technology go hand in hand with the fear of random, violent victimization.

A Growing Sense of Vulnerability

Even before 9/11 attack, a number of exercises identified apparent vulnerabilities in the computer networks of the U.S. military and energy sectors. After 9/11, the security and terrorist discourse immediately incorporated cyber terrorism prominently, supported by interested individuals from the political, business, and security spheres.

Modern terrorists are drawn to cyber terrorism, which they appreciate for its anonymity, its capacity to cause significant harm, its psychological effects, and its media appeal.

Cyber fears have, however, been exaggerated. Cyber-attacks on critical components of the national infrastructure are not uncommon, but they have not been conducted by terrorists and have not sought to inflict the kind of damage that would qualify as cyber terrorism.

The computer networks of the CIA and FBI, along with nuclear weapons and other sensitive military systems, are “air-gapped,” making them impenetrable to outside hackers. Systems in the private sector are typically less secure, but they are far from helpless, and terrifying stories about their susceptibility are typically mostly untrue.

But although the fear of cyber terrorism may be manipulated and exaggerated, we can neither deny nor ignore it. Ironically, as the “war on terror” gains ground, terrorists may become more reliant on novel tactics like cyber-terrorism. Moreover, the threat appears to be on the rise as a new, technologically advanced generation of terrorists enters the workforce.

Cyber-terrorism today and Tomorrow…

It appears reasonable to conclude that the threat that cyber-terrorism now poses has been overstated. The vast majority of cyber-attacks are launched by hackers with few, if any, political goals and no desire to cause the mayhem and carnage that terrorists dream of; U.S. defence and intelligence computer systems are air-gapped and thus isolated from the Internet; the systems run by private companies are more vulnerable to attack but also more resilient than is often supposed; and there has yet to be a single instance of cyber-terrorism. Why, therefore, has a relatively little threat sparked so much concern?

Ironically, as the “war on terror” gains ground, terrorists are expected to turn more frequently to novel weapons like cyber-terrorism. Assessing what must be done to handle this vague but real threat of cyber-terrorism is our challenge, but we must do it without exaggerating its significance or exploiting the anxiety it causes.