Cyber Terrorisum Past Present and Future Research Paper

Cyber Terrorisum Past Present and Future - Research Paper Example enied any previous occurrence of cyber terrorism, different countries and nations have presented some reports reflecting such cases, United States being one of them. Cyber terrorism is, therefore, real and it requires global intervention to address the issue. This is because cyber terrorism has no physical boundaries and therefore, it is not limited to any specific locations in the world. The steps that are being taken currently or that will be taken to fight cyber terrorism are or will be the key determinants of the intensity and chances of its occurrence in the future. This paper will, therefore, discuss cyber terrorism in relation to its definition, the difference between Cyber terrorism and information warfare, the main targets of cyber terrorism, and the reasons why IT is the most preferred tool for cyber terrorism. It also discusses the drawbacks, as well as some of the preventive measures that can be undertaken at national, company and individual level to deal with the evil and disastrous act of cyber terrorism. Terrorism involves the act of violence and illegal use of force against other people or their properties. This intimidates the government as well as the civilian population. The act of terrorism is socially and politically motivated. On the other hand, cyber terrorism combines the act of terrorism with the technology. Although many authors have given different definitions of what cyber terrorism is, there is no universally accepted definition of cyber terrorism. According to Olmstead and Siraj (2009), cyber terrorism is an act resulting from the ability of the terrorists to adapt to the dynamic nature of the society and technology, which makes them more resourceful and skillful. Cyber terrorism can therefore be defined as the use of computer systems, programs and data to intimidate others, with a social or political agenda. This means that cyber terrorism is not only a reality, but also a very dangerous act of threat and violence both to the