Cyber Terrorism
Is It Bloodless War?
By
PUNEET NAGPAL
Master of Science Cyber Law and Information Security (IIIT-Allahabad)

Cyber Terrorism :-                                                           1
According to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cyberterrorism is any "premeditated, politically motivated attack against information, computer systems, computer programs, and data which results in violence against non-combatant targets by sub-national groups or clandestine agents."
In this  I would like to share some Hide and Seek Games of al-Qa’ida and Other Cyber Terror Organizations with some references
During the march 2004 whenever Madrid attacks were happened , that time al-Qa’ida was in habbit of sending e-mails to various newspapers and claiming responsibility of attacks. But these days the trend is totally changed . Any message if any terrorist want to share some message , the message is posted on some jihadi websites ensuring it will be read by various people around the world in few seconds.
Every al-Qa’ida member was carrying a laptop after the bombardments. It means the internet has become a key element in al-Qa’ida training  and Cyber space is becoming the field of battle. Now a days the terrorist groups are in need of following essential ingredients :-


1. Members
2. A Leader
3. A Religious Guide
4. Information Technology/Security Specialists
The internet is a multipurpose tool and weapon. It can be use to communicate one-to-one or to millions, it can be used to convey hidden information , instructions or plans . Cyber attacks can create enormous damage at very little costs to jihadis. Al-Qa’ida has put the internet to many and varied uses.
Secrets:-
Cryptography / Crypto-Systems are the heart of Cyber – Warfare. The messages are concealed , embedded or coded and sent over internet.
According to experts there are more than 5000 jihadi websites which help al-Qa’ida maintain its network over the world. The first website by al-Qa’ida is believed to have been ‘maalemaljihad.com’(Milestones of Holy War) but it was crashed by China in Feb. 2001 when Mr. Muhammad Ali forgot to pay the renewal subscription on time. The successful use of internet  in cyber jihad depends upon secrecy and deception on the one side and vigilance and intelligence on other side.
Different ways in which online – war is joined:-

  1. Cyber terrorists are using best and latest Cryptographic tools
  2. One-time e-mail accounts are another favorite technique
  3. Short life websites are another popular method of communication
  4. Website hijacking is one of the technique
  5. Spoofing of IP Addresses
  6. Cat and Mouse Game of Links of websites
  7. Triggering through well known chat rooms

Future of Cyber Terrorism :-       2

  1. A Cyber Terrorist will remotely access the processing control systems of a cereal manufacturer, change the levels of iron supplement and kill the children of a nation enjoying their food.
  2. A Cyber Terrorist will fix a number of computerized bombs around any city. If bomb one stops transmitting, all the bombs detonate simultaneously using some neural science.
  3. A Cyber Terrorist will disrupt the banks, the international financial transactions, the stock exchanges.
  4. A Cyber Terrorist will attack the next generation of air traffic control systems, and collide two large civilian aircraft. Same can be done to the rail lines.
  5. A Cyber Terrorist will remotely alter the formulas of medication at pharmaceutical manufacturers. The potential loss of life will definitely increase.
  6. The Cyber Terrorist may then decide to remotely change the pressure in the gas lines, causing a valve failure, and a block of a sleepy suburb detonates and burns. Likewise, the electrical grid is becoming steadily more vulnerable.
  7. In effect, the Cyber Terrorist will make certain that the population of a nation will not be able to eat, to drink, to move, or to live. In addition, the people charged with the protection of their nation will not have warning, and will not be able to shut down the terrorist, since that Cyber Terrorist is most likely on the other side of the world.

All of these scenarios can be executed today. As you may know, some of these incidents already have occurred in various nations. More of such acts will take place tomorrow.
Are you prepared?