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risks to Critical Infrastructure from terrorist attacks. While keeping in mind the differences in the. Compendium highlights possible element of.
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Clearly we have yet to see a doomsday scenario like that mentioned by former US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta unfold. This paper will argue that more needs to be done by governments, the private sector, and civil society to prevent cyber attacks from crippling infrastructure and degrading states capacity to continue their normal operations. The paper will conclude by offering recommendations to nascent institutions and systems, both public and private, to prevent groups with nefarious intentions from inflicting harm and suffering on a currently unseen scale.

Although the need for an across-the-board definition will arise later in the recommendation section of the paper, it is key to understand why the issue of cyberterrorism has thus far been hard to explain. The various complexities and unknowns of cyber threats, and their relationship to acts that constitute terrorism make defining the term very difficult. What constitutes a cyber threat? When does a cyber attack become an act of terrorism rather than just a crime? These are all questions that continue to make it difficult for practitioners to navigate said threats and put policy into action to protect national security.

This section will show how the term has evolved, and how cyberterror is distinctly different from other cyber threats. Cyberterrorism is generally understood to refer to highly damaging computer-based attacks or threats of attack by non-state actors against information systems when conducted to intimidate or coerce governments or societies in pursuit of goals that are political or social. It is the convergence of terrorism with cyberspace, where cyberspace becomes the means of conducting the terrorist act. A cybertrerrorist may hack into U. Such attacks are aimed at wreaking havoc on information technology systems that are an integral part of public safety, traffic control, medical and emergency services, and public works.

In this excerpt, Maras touches on very important themes that will be discussed later including the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and methods that an individual or group may employ to conduct acts of terrorism. As Maras mentions, it is important to note that not all acts that a terrorist organization may be involved in via the Internet, nor all cyber attacks writ large, constitute acts of cyberterrorism. However, these attacks do not constitute terrorism per se as they do not directly cause large-scale death or destruction in and of themselves.

As Maras explains, terrorist groups including the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Tamil Tigers have been responsible for conducting acts that temporarily paralyze government websites through large scale Denial of Service Attacks DoS , but as these attacks did not cause grave and sustained harm nor loss of life, such attacks cannot be considered cyberterrorism.

Thankfully, a catastrophic attack on critical infrastructure like that portrayed by Mr. Panetta and others has yet to occur. If left unprotected, the critical infrastructure of nations may face an attack at a much larger scale, resulting in mass casualties and degradation of vital systems that are necessary to maintain national security. The next section will highlight what vulnerabilities exist and show how a hypothetical large-scale cyberterrorist attack may unfold.

A couple dozen talented programmers wearing flip-flops and drinking Red Bull can do a lot of damage. In , the turbine of an electricity generator burst into smoke in the Idaho National Laboratory, ultimately causing failure of the device. In short, engineers found that by changing the operating cycle of a power generator remotely via computer, the turbines could set fire, eventually destroying the machine. However, as shown in a project conducted by global security software giant McAfee, in conjunction with CSIS, little has been done to address the large gaps in preventing such an attack from taking place.

Industrial control systems were originally implemented as isolated, separate networks. They were viewed as secure systems, which protected remote locations from being physically broken into and mistreated. Control systems were originally designed to be free standing networks without Internet access.

Therefore, it has been necessary to add network access systems to the original systems to integrate them into the corporate structure. This has created, in the worst cases, a labyrinth of connections, which is perhaps not rigorously constructed for cyber- security or well documented. Unfortunately, since this report was presented to Congress in , progress has been slow to put security mechanisms in place to protect SCADA and other ICS that control critical infrastructure. For example, firms introduced standard computers and operating systems as well as IP based networking to allow for better control and interconnectivity so that businesses and government could run more efficiently.


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As companies and governments begin to further embrace the Smart Grid System for example, critical infrastructure primarily the electric grid will become more reliant on a vast array of nodes that give IT systems more efficient control over the delivery of services but will undoubtedly open up further opportunities for intrusion from nefarious actors.

At this juncture it must be made clear that the majority of research for this paper has pointed towards state actors as being the most responsible in executing the majority of cyber attacks. According to many experts, for example, the notion of cyberwar with China is not an unreal perspective. Although the threat of a looming cyberwar with China and other nations should not be discredited, this paper will continue by looking at the threat of cyberterrorism stemming from primarily non-state actors and states that directly support terrorism such as Iran.

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Particular emphasis will be put on the role of Iran, as groups like the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam brigades who receive direct material support form the Islamic Republic have already carried out cyber attacks. Last night, the FBI received a signed threat from a very credible, well-funded, North Africa-based terrorist group indicating that they intend to disrupt water operations in 28 US cities.

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Because the threat comes from a credible, well known source, with an organizational structure capable of carrying out such a threat, the FBI has asked utilities, particularly large drinking water systems, to take precautions and to be on the lookout for anyone or anything out of the ordinary. Terrorist organizations have demonstrated their expertize on the web in various forms for over a decade. We have also learned, and have seen from example, that attacks can be orchestrated without massive funding, by single actors, who are not even affiliated with a terrorist group.

Clarke comments:. We also found indications that members of al-Qaeda were from outside of the Unites States doing reconnaissance in the United States on our critical infrastructure. Where were railroad crossings? Where were the big natural gas depositories?

Where were the bridges over rivers that also carried the fiber for the backbone on the Internet? The sentiment of Clarke and others is quite telling in the sense that it not only drives home the al-Qaeda and other terrorists seek the desire to destroy US infrastructure, but that they are slowly gaining the capacity to carry out such attacks. The sophistication to carry out such a large-scale attack is hard to develop and requires substantial funding. There are, however, nation states that are willing to support such ambitions.

What I worry about is that terrorists and nations that sponsor terror, such as Iran, that demonstrate cyberattack capabilities will be far more reckless than traditional adversaries.

Global Cyber Terrorism Incidents on the Rise

The asymmetric nature of the war against terrorists can be said to transcend into the cyber realm. While al-Qaeda and other groups have been able to coordinate physical attacks with modest finances, a massive cyber operation that could debilitate US critical infrastructure would require funding and advanced technical expertise. The Islamic Republic of Iran has been known historically to fund terrorists of various stripes who oppose western interests. While nations like Russia and China are guilty of cyber intrusion into the institutions and systems of the United States and its allies, the majority of their operations are carried out for the sake of espionage.

Iran has subscribed, for the most part, to a retaliatory cyber strategy against the west. The Shamoon attack in that knocked out three-quarters of the Saudi State oil firm, Aramco, and filled screens with an image of a burning US flag was traced to Iran. The regime has consistently supplied the military arm of Hamas with information and technology to carry out attacks on US financial institutions and is currently doing the same for Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

These events raise important red flags on what the future may hold for terrorists groups looking to commit large-scale attacks against the United States. Not only is the transfer of information from Iran to such entities a common practice, but also powerful viruses such as Stuxnet are now readily available on the Internet, and a black market has emerged alongside offering to the highest bidder.

As the leadership of terrorists groups become younger and more tech-savvy, it is the fear that such groups will rely more heavily on a cyberterror component to achieve their ultimate goal of creating terror through destruction and death. While states like China may have the capability to carry out such acts, diplomatic and financial ties make such an occurrence unlikely. Today, more than ever before, the world is united through the use of technology. From the systems that connect us to friends and family, to the rails and roads that bring us together, and the generators that power our homes, the security provided by era of previous isolation can no longer be seen as relevant.

With the advent of the Internet and ICS systems developed to make industrial operations, commerce, and life in general easier, we have ushered in a new era of unprecedented insecurity. A clear example of this is shown in the number of cyber attacks currently facing the United States. Additionally, to the extent that governments that carry out disinformation operations publicly disavow responsibility for their actions, as Russia did after the election, it means those actions are often carried out by non-state actors. Depending on the harm inflicted, this could meet the definition of terrorism under the Homeland Security Act of The framework should be commended for including this point.

If foreign influence targets specific communities in the United States—as Russian efforts in targeted Americans by race —DHS will provide information to community stakeholders to help them counter such campaigns. Building a physical barrier on the southwest border will have to be justified—or not—based on its contribution to immigration enforcement, counternarcotics, or some other law enforcement purpose.

Not counterterrorism. Iran was designated as a State Sponsor of Terrorism in and has been considered as the leading state sponsor of terrorism , according to State Department terrorism reports by administrations of both parties going back two decades.

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DHS is also deeply involved in defending against Iran cyber attacks , which DHS in the Obama administration considered to be terrorist acts because the cyber attacks were carried out by non-state actors—thus coming within the definition of state-sponsored terrorism. DHS carries out a wide range of other actions—including screening travelers and prospective Iranian students , and counterproliferation enforcement —to prevent Iranian-sponsored terrorism.

DHS deserves credit for its actions to counter Iranian efforts to spread its influence in the United States. Thomas S. Warrick is a nonresident senior fellow with the Middle East programs at the Atlantic Council. The precision of the aerial attack on Abqaiq, whether it originated in Iran or outside it, shows both a willingness to target strategic critical infrastructure and a capability for extreme precision.

Shifting tactics have prompted federal authorities to change their approach to defense, Krebs says. New Atlanticist by David A. Inflection Points by Frederick Kempe. Home Issues Regions Search Menu. Goals of the DHS Strategic Framework for Countering Terrorism and Targeted Violence Goal 1: Understand the evolving terrorism and targeted violence threat environment and support partners in the homeland security enterprise through this specialized knowledge. Goal 3: Prevent terrorism and targeted violence.

Terrorism “Assessing the Threat for Critical Infrastructure” Methodologies for Water Supplier

Goal 4: Enhance US infrastructure protections and community preparedness. Wed, Sep 18, What the Abqaiq attack should teach us about critical infrastructure The precision of the aerial attack on Abqaiq, whether it originated in Iran or outside it, shows both a willingness to target strategic critical infrastructure and a capability for extreme precision. Tue, Apr 23, The United States is adapting to the cyber challenge, says top DHS official Shifting tactics have prompted federal authorities to change their approach to defense, Krebs says.