Cyber Operations and Cyber Terrorism
By Trond Lyngbø
Cyber operations entail getting behind the most serious aspects of cyber terrorism and leading to the capture of those perpetrating cyber crimes.
Our society’s dependence on the Internet for public and private institutions in the critical sectors of government, defense, emergency services, public health, even the basics of food and water, put us at great risk of cyber terrorism. Telecommunications, transportation, banking, and the like are all conducted via the Internet and this dependence creates a frightening scenario.
Cyberspace is composed of hundreds of computers, servers, routers, switches and fiber-optic cables that allow the system to work. Any act of cyber terrorism against any of these institutions is a violation to our national security.
The goal of cyber operations is to prevent cyber attacks against any and all critical infrastructures and to reduce the weaknesses inherent in our system. Another goal of cyber operations is to minimize the impact and damage of any cyber attack that does occur.
Our national security is fully dependent upon our current system of information technology. The computer networks that are in danger are the same ones that control many physical workings such as that of electrical transformers, trains, chemical vats, radars, and therefore, any manipulation to these systems can create chaos.
The risk posed by cyber terrorism is very present in the world today. It is also an often debated topic among the security community, as well as those involved in information technology. Many experts have thrown around the idea of how likely it would be for a cyber terrorist to hack into computers that control functions such as how dams or bridges work, or wreak havoc with air traffic control systems. As much as these ideas have been discussed, there has not been any real instance to date of this sort of cyber terrorism.
Because most of our current society is now revolving around the Internet, e-commerce, and online banking, the threat of cyber terrorism is something that cyber-operations specialists must address. Hackers have proven that it is not all that difficult to get into a computer network and manipulate it at will. Although hackers are not in themselves cyber terrorists, they have proven how simple this type of mayhem would be to create. Those who would like to inflict cyber terrorism can follow this example and gain access to critical data from governments, as well as private computer networks. This type of cyber terrorism could disable financial and military organizations. Our society’s dependence on the Internet, and our focus on having everything accessible via the Web, has created vulnerabilities in our defense systems. Where once it would have been difficult for a terrorist to tamper with a water treatment facility, it is quite feasible that a cyber terrorist could manipulate such a facility with disastrous results. It would be safe to say that the real risk of cyber terrorism is well founded. However, there is still some exaggeration in the media that is not rational when it comes to the threat of cyber terrorism.
Cyber operations entail getting behind the most serious aspects of cyber terrorism and leading to the capture of those perpetrating cyber crimes.
Our society’s dependence on the Internet for public and private institutions in the critical sectors of government, defense, emergency services, public health, even the basics of food and water, put us at great risk of cyber terrorism. Telecommunications, transportation, banking, and the like are all conducted via the Internet and this dependence creates a frightening scenario.
Cyberspace is composed of hundreds of computers, servers, routers, switches and fiber-optic cables that allow the system to work. Any act of cyber terrorism against any of these institutions is a violation to our national security.
The goal of cyber operations is to prevent cyber attacks against any and all critical infrastructures and to reduce the weaknesses inherent in our system. Another goal of cyber operations is to minimize the impact and damage of any cyber attack that does occur.
Our national security is fully dependent upon our current system of information technology. The computer networks that are in danger are the same ones that control many physical workings such as that of electrical transformers, trains, chemical vats, radars, and therefore, any manipulation to these systems can create chaos.
The risk posed by cyber terrorism is very present in the world today. It is also an often debated topic among the security community, as well as those involved in information technology. Many experts have thrown around the idea of how likely it would be for a cyber terrorist to hack into computers that control functions such as how dams or bridges work, or wreak havoc with air traffic control systems. As much as these ideas have been discussed, there has not been any real instance to date of this sort of cyber terrorism.
Because most of our current society is now revolving around the Internet, e-commerce, and online banking, the threat of cyber terrorism is something that cyber-operations specialists must address. Hackers have proven that it is not all that difficult to get into a computer network and manipulate it at will. Although hackers are not in themselves cyber terrorists, they have proven how simple this type of mayhem would be to create. Those who would like to inflict cyber terrorism can follow this example and gain access to critical data from governments, as well as private computer networks. This type of cyber terrorism could disable financial and military organizations. Our society’s dependence on the Internet, and our focus on having everything accessible via the Web, has created vulnerabilities in our defense systems. Where once it would have been difficult for a terrorist to tamper with a water treatment facility, it is quite feasible that a cyber terrorist could manipulate such a facility with disastrous results. It would be safe to say that the real risk of cyber terrorism is well founded. However, there is still some exaggeration in the media that is not rational when it comes to the threat of cyber terrorism.
