What Is Cyber Terrorism And How To Prevent It
Because there are always two sides to every coin, the global advancements in technology have to the evolution of different terrorism and cybercrime. While most everyday citizens are usually aware of how technology improves living conditions and life outcomes worldwide, some do not know what cyber terrorism is.
Even people who own businesses of different sizes are not left out. Perhaps, cyber terrorism and related crimes are some of the biggest threats challenging the survival of companies of various sizes.
Before you experience what it feels like to be a victim of cyber terrorism and related crimes as an individual or corporate entity, becoming aware of how these underworld works are in your best interest. And that’s what this post aims to do for you. Possibly, the points discussed here could help you position your business for maximum security.
What Is Cyber Terrorism?
Cyberterrorism is an advanced technology-driven terror attack usually targeted at governments, agencies, population segments, or corporate entities. In most cases, cyber terrorism is politically motivated, and the aim is to cause social or physical damage on the side of the target victims.
Even though this type of attack has been evolving over a long period, there is hardly any consensus on what constitutes an act of cyber terrorism. However, there is little form of differentiation when cyber terrorism is compared to other types of cybercrime.
For example, some cyber security experts reiterate that most cyber terror attacks are executed with the aim to –
- Cause widespread social, economic, and physical damages that may result in the loss of life
- Inflict significant damage to critical infrastructure and public utilities
- Influence a large number of people into a state of fear, panic, and conformity
Some of the most common targets for cyber terrorism include energy supply, public transport systems, banking, food supply, military installations, water supply, and air traffic control systems. Now, if you think that this type of cyber attack is meant for the government and public utilities only, pause for a while to think again.
In the May 2021 Microsoft Exchange data breach, over 30,000 corporate customers of different sizes became vulnerable. A few weeks after the data breach, many of these customers also recorded forms of attacks and data loss.
Cyber Fraud Definition – What Is It?
Cyber fraud is an illegal act of using internet technology to deceive people and obtain money, goods, services, or other types of favor from them. Unlike cyber terrorism, most cyber fraud incidents happen on a small scale.
That’s why it is hard to detect by small businesses, households, and everyday citizens of a country. However, advanced fraudsters can also commit large-scale fraud. Cybercriminals sometimes use different methods to deceive, influence, and defraud people. Interestingly, businesses are not excluded from these forms of attacks.
Common examples of cyber fraud are the following –
- Email phishing
- Ransomware
- Denial of service (DoS) attacks
- Malware proliferation
- Illegal social engineering
- Identity theft
- Corporate email communication breaches
The Greatest Threat To Federal Information System
While there are different types of cyber security threats against the federal information system, most of them are rarely equal. On a macro level, cyber terrorism seems to be the biggest threat to the US federal information system.
Among other things, the sophistication and proliferation of tools within reach of traditional terrorists and their allies increases the likelihood of cyber terrorism. Besides organized criminal groups, disgruntled insiders and other criminal state actors also constitute a real threat to the federal information system.
Understanding Cyber Security In Criminal Justice
The criminal justice system and cyber security industry often work hand in hand. But while the people in the judicial workforce are experts in their various service areas, most don’t have the expertise for cybercrime investigation. That is where the benefits of digital forensic experts come into play.
The expertise of digital forensic specialists helps the police, private lawyers, public prosecutors, and judges handle cyber crime cases in a professional and legally fair manner.
In case you are wondering, digital forensics is a field of forensic science that involves the investigation, identification, acquisition, processing, storage, analysis, and reporting of electronic data. Assuming your business has a cybercrime-related challenge at the moment, you may need digital forensic services to unravel the puzzle and get the justice you need. The critical thing to remember is that traditional investigators may not have the expertise to see you through your cybercrime-related challenges.
How To Prevent Cyber Terrorism
Purchase And Installation of Antivirus Software
If you have not done this already, now is the time to think differently. The obvious point is that you need active and dependable antivirus software to protect your business.
For example, before and after a cloud migration project, you must ensure that your entire operating systems and infrastructure are tightly guarded. Please do not leave anything to chance. The price you pay in case of a data breach is lower than the cost of internet security services for small businesses.
Proactive Security Assessment And Monitoring
Don’t depend on your existing IT staff’s limited skills and security knowledge. Your business will be vulnerable to preventable cyber crimes and unpredictable attacks if you do that.
Many factors could leave your business dangerously vulnerable from outdated software to cloud platform changes and new employee negligence. By embracing proactive security assessment and monitoring, you and your team will be able to detect some potential attacks or threats before it is too late.
Assuming you are convinced your business has ignored proactive monitoring for a long time, now is the best time to start taking prompt actions.
Cyber Security Awareness Training
One tricky thing about cyber security is this; even the old tools and tactics used by cybercriminals take new dimensions. Here is one reason why some businesses fall victim in the first place. If everyone could detect how the tools and tactics used by these criminals work, then no company or individual would ever become a victim of cybercrime.
But that is not always the case. Instead of relying on limited knowledge that is probably outdated, it is better to invest in a cyber security company to teach awareness training for your employees.
Taking action in this regard will update their knowledge on how to use their mobile devices to access work-related resources and manage network access and communication between them and external stakeholders.
Engage Digital Forensic Experts
Whether you are in charge of protecting a small private business, government agency, or big corporation, digital forensic experts can help provide maximum protection against cyber terrorism and other related crimes. Don’t leave this to chance.
Even when a significant attack has not happened, digital forensic specialists can help prevent and minimize potential losses. When you engage them, the firms and experts in this unique field of IT service provide high-level technical investigations and other related services around issues like –
- Accidental or intentional disclosure of company data
- Cases of industrial espionage
- Intellectual property theft
- Employee misuse of the internet
- Illegal interference with an ongoing investigation
How Online Investigations Work
Online investigation is the systematic process of using different tools, devices, and tactics to detect, analyze and report digital evidence relating to an internet crime.
Interestingly, an online investigation is one of the critical responsibilities of digital forensic experts. Besides such experts, specialist authorities in cyber police can also carry out online investigations before, during, and after an internet crime. One example is the Chinese Internet Police.
Some government authorities and ministries may have cyber police departments investigating, preventing, and prosecuting cyber criminals.
Conclusion
Now you know what cyber terrorism is, the next thing is for you to determine if there is any need to take preventive actions on behalf of your organization. Most times, your current professional role should determine the next step. For example, you may decide to discuss some of your ideas or goals with other relevant stakeholders. As I have noted earlier in this post, proactive monitoring and periodic security awareness update are crucial.
You don’t have to wait until something happens before you start reacting in a tense state of mind. If you have perceived some cyber threats in your organization, don’t wait for the damage to happen before you start looking for disaster recovery services.
As we have noticed in different contexts with our clients, the losses are always higher than the cost of preventive IT security services. Contact Computronix today to secure your IT network
