Is there a universal definition for cyberterrorism?

There is no universally accepted definition of cyber terrorism. Additionally, definitions for cyber terrorism are even further complicated by the fact that they must be specific enough to be understood distinctly from other types of cyber attack, such as cyber warfare and hacktivism (Kenney, 2015).

Why is there no common definition of cyberterrorism?

Cyber- attacks are common, but they have not been conducted by terrorists and they have not sought to inflict the kind of damage that would qualify them as cyberterrorism. Technological expertise and use of the Internet do not constitute evidence of planning for a cyberattack.

Is cyberterrorism a thing?

Cyberterrorism is any premeditated, politically motivated attack against information systems, programs and data that results in violence. However, there is no current consensus between various governments and the information security community on what qualifies as an act of cyberterrorism.

Does the UN define terrorism?

A UN panel, on March 17, 2005, described terrorism as any act “intended to cause death or serious bodily harm to civilians or non-combatants with the purpose of intimidating a population or compelling a government or an international organization to do or abstain from doing any act.”

What is an example of cyberterrorism?

Examples are hacking into computer systems, introducing viruses to vulnerable networks, web site defacing, Denial-of-service attacks, or terroristic threats made via electronic communication. Both actions are politically driven and involve using computers, however cyberterrorism is primarily used to cause harm.

How cyberterrorism is committed?

The concept of cyberterrorism usually refers to a range of very different actions, from the simple spread of propaganda online, to the alteration or destruction of information, and even to the planning and carrying out of terrorist attacks via the use of computer networks.

Who invented the word cyberterrorism?

Barry Collin first introduced the term cyberterrorism in the 1980s, although just as experts have not formed a consensus definition of terrorism, there is still no unifying definition of cyberterrorism.

Why is terrorism hard to define?

The difficulty in assigning a truly comprehensive definition to terrorism lies in the fact that, not only is it challenging to be specific when motives, targets and methods differ so broadly from case-to-case, but the complexity of untangling the overlaps within each of these categories makes the task virtually …

Why Defining terrorism is important?

A definition of terrorism is essential to the protection of the state, differentiation between public and private violence and most importantly, the condemnation of violations of human rights. 13. Definitions tend to rely heavily on who is doing the defining and for what purpose.

What is the difference between cybercrime and cyberterrorism?

The main difference between cybercrime and cyber terrorism lies in the objective of the attack. Cybercriminals are predominantly out to make money, while cyber terrorists may have a range of motives and will often seek to have a destructive impact, particularly on critical infrastructure.

What is the difference between cyberterrorism and cyberwarfare?

Cyberwarfare differs from cyberterrorism as it is an organized effort by a nation state to conduct operations in cyberspace against foreign nations. Included in this category is the Internet’s use for intelligence gathering purposes.

What distinguishes cyberterrorism from other computer crimes?

In some cases, the differentiation between cyberterrorism attacks and more ordinary cybercrime activity lies in the intention: The primary motivation for cyberterrorism attacks is to disrupt or harm the victims, even if the attacks do not result in physical harm or cause extreme financial harm. …

Is there a universally accepted definition of cyberterrorism?

Just as there is no consensus on a definition of cybercrime (see Cybercrime Module 1 on Introduction to Cybercrime), there is no universally accepted definition of terrorism (see Module 1 of the E4J University Module Series on Counter-Terrorism) nor of cyberterrorism.

Is cyber terrorism a criminal offence?

Even though there is no universally accepted definition of cyberterrorism and international law does not explicitly criminalize cyberterrorism, “most … [laws] contain offence-creating provisions directly targeting malicious acts aimed at destroying or interfering with the functioning of” critical infrastructure (UNSC CTED and UNOCT, 2018, p. 70).

Is cyber terrorism a violation of human rights?

In view of that, more expansive conceptions of cyberterrorism in law lead to disproportionate limitations of human rights ( A/70/371, para 14).

Is cyberterror really a threat?

A 1999 study prepared for the Defense Intelligence Agency and produced at the Naval Postgraduate School began with a disclaimer stating, “cyberterror is not a threat.