Terrorist Use of the Internet: The Real Story
Abstract
Cyberterrorism conjures images of infrastructure failures, economic disasters, and even large-scale loss of life. It also receives a great deal of coverage in the press. While the threat of cyberterrorism is real, the hype surrounding the issue often outpaces the magnitude of the threat. In addition, the term itself deflects attention from a more mundane but equally serious problem: terrorist organizations effectively using the Internet to stymie U.S. efforts to win the Long War. The Internet enables terrorist groups to operate as either highly decentralized franchises or freelancers. Similar to information age businesses, these groups use the Internet to create a brand image, market themselves, recruit followers, raise capital, identify partners and suppliers, provide training materials, and even manage operations. As a result, these groups have become more numerous, agile, and well coordinated, all of which make them harder to stop. Furthermore, these groups have become expert at using the Internet to manipulate both public opinion and media coverage in ways that undermine American interests. In short, rather than attacking the Internet, terrorists are using it to survive and thrive. The Internet has five characteristics that make it an ideal tool for terrorist organizations. First, it enables rapid communications. Second, Internet use is a low-cost proposition. Third, the ubiquity of the Internet means that small terrorist groups can have a global cyber presence that rivals that of much larger organizations. Fourth, the growth in bandwidth combined with development of new software has enabled unsophisticated users to develop and disseminate complex information via the Internet. Finally, modern encryption technologies allow Internet users to surf the Web, transfer funds, and communicate anonymously -- a serious (though not insurmountable) impediment to intelligence and law enforcement organizations trying to find, track, and catch terrorists.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA518156
Entities
People
- Courtney Richardson
- Irving Lachow
Organizations
- National Defense University