FEDERAL POLYTECHNNIC ILE-OLUJI, ONDO STATE

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

SEMINAR TOPIC: COMPUTER IN TERRORISM

PRESENTER:

AKINLADE SODIQ ADEBAYO

FPI/CSC/20/011

SUBMITTED TO:
MR. IBIYOMI M. A.

COURSE CODE: COM 222

COURSE TITLE: SEMINAR ON THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPUTER AND THE

SOCIETY
1.0 INTRODUCTION

The dependence of the society today on the computer technology is enormous and is

increasing every day. The digitalization of the working process in all social and economic

spheres of life is a real phenomenon today and it is growing every day. The development of

world trade has a direct effect on the further development of the computer technology and

interne. This development of the industry has created an opportunity for the use of these

computers to commit different cyber-crimes and terrorism.

2.0 CONCEPT OF COMPUTER

According to Bajewolu (2018), Computing is any goal-oriented activity requiring, benefiting

from, or creating computing machinery. It includes the study and experimentation of

algorithmic processes and development of both hardware and software. It has scientific,

engineering, mathematical, technological and social aspects. Major computing disciplines

include computer engineering, computer science, cybersecurity, data science, information

systems, information technology and software engineering

A Computer is a machine that manipulates data according to a set of instructions called a

computer program. The program has an executable form that the computer can use directly to

execute the instructions. The same program in its human-readable source code form, enables

a programmer to study and develop a sequence of steps known as an algorithm. Because the

instructions can be carried out in different types of computers, a single set of source

instructions converts to machine instructions according to the CPU type.

3.0 CONCEPT OF TERRORISM

Terrorism is an anxiety-inspired method of repeated violent action, employed by (semi-)

clandestine individuals, groups, or state actors, for idiosyncratic, criminal, or political

reasons, whereby – in contrast to assassination – the direct targets of violence are not the
main targets. The immediate human victims of violence are generally chosen randomly

(targets of opportunity) or selectively (representative or symbolic targets) from a target

population, and serve as massage generators. Threat and violence-based communication

processes between terrorist (organization), (imperilled) victims, and the main targets are used

to manipulate the main target (audience(s)), turning it into a target of terror, a target of

demands, or a target of attention, depending on whether intimidation, coercion, or

propaganda is primarily sought.

3.1 New Terrorism

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Computer terrorism is a premeditated

attack conducted by secret agents or clandestine groups, motivated politically, targeting

computer systems and programs, informational systems, military objectives and databases

that contain information regarding these military objectives. Unlike a simple annoying virus,

a cyber-attack is designed to cause physical pain and to destroy the financial services.

Computer terrorism is however the simple use of the computers and internet network to

design and conduct terrorist attacks. It is an actual fact that nowdays someone or certain

groups might use computer and technological means to conduct a military or a terrorist attack

against certain targets

3.2 Features of New Terrorism

Although it is difficult to say where and when ‘new terrorism’ exactly started, many point to

the mid1990s, and the bombing of the World Trade Center in New York in 1993 as well as

the sarin gas attack in the Tokyo underground by the Aum Shinrikyo cult in 1995. It is said,

that this terrorism has a different set of new characteristics in comparison to the traditional or

‘old terrorism’ mentioned above (Davies, 2014). Many supporters of the concept ‘new

terrorism’ point to the prominence of religion, mainly radical Islam, as one of its main

characteristics.33 Whereas ‘old terrorism’ was primarily secular in its orientation and
inspiration, terrorism linked to religious fanaticism is on the increase. According to Nadine

Gurr and Benjamin Cole only two out of sixty-four international terrorist organisations in

1980 could be classified as religious. This figure has risen sharply to twenty-five out of fifty-

eight by 1995.34 ‘New terrorism’ is often portrayed as a terrorism, which rejects all other

ways and promotes an uncompromising view of the world in accordance with the belief of

the religion. Bruce Hoffman believes that this religious motivation is the defining

characteristic of ‘new terrorism’, which produces “radically different value systems,

mechanisms of legitimisation and justification, concepts of morality and, world.

3.3 Reason for New Terrorism

These are some of the reason why terrorist chose to adopt computer in their operation and it

is considered that computer terrorism will become more and more attractive to the cyber

terrorists

i. The risk of getting caught after committing a crime has been reduced due to the

possibility of undertaking an action from a long distance.

ii. It is possible to cause large amount of economic and technical damage without

affecting the lives of people

iii. The experts on these issues can be easily hired for the job.

iv. A successful attack will make the front pages of all the media all around the world

whilst the unsuccessful one will go unnoticed.

v. The internet can be used as a tool to generate money all over the world.

vi. The internet offers great possibilities for spreading propaganda about a terrorist group

that works on a global basis and that cannot be controlled by an individual

government.

vii. The attacks can be prepared and conducted in a short amount of time and with little

expenses.
3.4 Roles of Computer in Modern Terrorism

Internet is the most suitable media used today by the terrorists to achieve their goals such as

spreading propaganda, planning attacks and recruiting new members into their organizations.

Internet grants its users a measure of anonymity, a feature, which has contributed in enabling

immediate communication of de-centralized networks of terrorism. Most of the terrorist

groups create and publish websites in different languages. Consequently, the sites are

accessible to people from different countries throughout the world, yet they offer various

forms of protection for their users. For example, Al-Qaeda followers can enter onto website

azzam.com which bears the name of Abdullah Azzam, the spiritual leader of Osama Bin

Laden and the co-founder of Al-Qaeda organization (Joshua, 2019).

3.5 New Terrorism Example

1. Hacker

The term ‘hacker’ was originally used in computing circles to refer to individuals who had a

low-level familiarity with the operation of technology and were capable of devising

technically elegant software solutions (Joshua, 2019). However, the usage of the term has

changed over the years and is now generally accepted as referring to persons who deliberately

gain (or attempt to gain) unauthorized access to computer systems. Hackers are by no means

a new threat and have routinely featured in news stories during the last two decades. Indeed,

they have become the traditional ‘target’ of the media, with the standard approach being to

present the image of either a ‘teenage whizzkid’ or an insidious threat. In reality, it can be

argued that there are different degrees of the problem. Some hackers are malicious, whilst

others are merely naive and, hence, do not appreciate that their activities may be doing any

real harm.

2. Cyber Terrorist
Recent years have witnessed the widespread use of information technology by terrorist-type

organizations. This has led to the emergence of a new class of threat, which has been termed

‘cyber terrorism’. This can be viewed as distinct from ‘traditional’ terrorism since physical

terror does not occur and efforts are instead focused upon attacking information

systems/resources (Corner, 2015). When viewed from the perspective of skills and

techniques, there is little to distinguish cyber terrorists from the general classification of

hackers. Both groups require and utilize an arsenal of techniques in order to breach the

security of target systems. From a motivational perspective, however, cyber terrorists are

clearly different, operating with a specific political or ideological agenda to support their

actions.

However, the difference does not necessarily end there and other factors should be

considered. Firstly, the fact that cyber terrorists are part of an organized group could mean

that they have funding available to support their activities.

3.6 Methods of New Terrorism

i. Propaganda/Publicity: Terrorist/resistance groups have traditionally had difficulty in

relaying their political messages to the general public without being censored.

However, they can now use the Internet for this purpose. Examples of where this is

already the case include the Irish Republican Information Service and the Zapatista

Movement (Furnell and Warren, 2019)

ii. Fundraising: Some terrorist/resistance groups linked to political parties are now

using the Internet for funding raising purposes. In the future this may mean that

smaller terrorist/resistance groups may be able to receive the majority of their funding

through credit card donations.

iii. Information Dissemination: It is also possible that groups may publish sensitive

information about a particular country. For example, Sinn Fein supporters at the
 University of Texas made details about British Army establishments within Northern

Ireland publicly available on the Internet. In addition, information is available about

engaging in terrorist activities. For example, the ‘Terrorist Handbook’ [lo] instructs

beginners how to make explosives and weapons and is widely referenced and

available on the Internet (Anthony, 2017).

iv. Secure Communication: Terrorist use of more advanced encryption methods and

improved anonymous electronic re-mailers will result in a command system that is

difficult to break and allows for the control of groups anywhere in the world. This

causes a problem for the security services, as it means that they will have to spend

more time and resources on trying to decrypt electronic messages (Forouzan,, 2017).

4.0 CONCLUSION

Modern society has a significant (and increasing) dependence upon information technology.

This paper has sought to suggest that, as a result of this, we face a number of immediate and

long-term threats that need to be recognized in order for protective action to be taken. In the

case of hackers, we can, to some extent, take comfort from the fact that a significant

proportion of them are not engaging in their activities for a malicious purpose. The hacker

threat is likely to be more difficult to police than that of cyber terrorism.

Cyber terrorists operate with a political agenda. This motivation (which could often be more

accurately described as fanaticism) will mean these types of attacks will be more specifically

targeted and aimed at more critical systems. This collective action would do more harm than

the action of a single hacker.

Anthony Oscard (2017):/1r Errorist’s Hartdbook. Available on Internet / WWW.

Bajewolu E. O. (2018): “Computer”, Internetworking Technology Journals, Chapter 27,

Retrieved from on https://userpages.uni-koblenz.de/~ros/Rechnerorganisation/

InternetProtocols.pdf 3rd October, 2021.

Comer 2015, Sect. 7.7.4 – “Cyber Problems and Survey of Computer and Fraud Abuse.”,

Network MTU, and Fragmentation, p. 104, Explains fragmentation and the effect on

the header of the fragments.

Davies M (2014): “Encryption: Impact art law Enforcement. Information Resources

Division”, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Virginia, US. 8 July 2014.

Forouzan, B. (2017). “Data Communications and Networking”. McGraw-Hill.

p. 14. ISBN 9780073376226.

Furnelb P and Warren M. (2019): “Computer Hacking and Cyber Terrorism: The Real

Threats in the New Millennium?”,Research Group, School (zf Electronic,

Commurzica~ion and Electrical Engineering, Universify of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK;

18 (2019) 28-34

Joshua K. (2019), “Israeli Arrested for Hacking U.S. Military Computers". OECD Digital

Economy Papers”. doi:10.1787/5jxt46d07bhc-en.