Cyber Terrorism

Technology is one of the strategic factors driving the increasing use of the Internet by terrorist
organizations and their Supporters for a wide range of purposes, including recruitment, financing,
propaganda, training and incitement to commit acts of terrorism, and the gathering and dissemination
of information for terrorist purposes. While the many benefits of the Internet are self-evident, it may
also be used to facilitate communication within terrorist organizations and to transmit information on,
as well as material support for, planned acts of terrorism, all of which require specific technical
knowledge for the effective investigation of these offences. So, it can be asserted that the use of the
Internet for terrorist purposes is a rapidly growing phenomenon, requiring a proactive and coordinated
response from countries across the globe.

Since the late 1980s, the Internet has proven to be a highly dynamic means of communication, reaching
an ever-growing audience worldwide. The development of increasingly sophisticated technologies has
created a network with a truly global reach, and relatively low barriers to entry. Internet technology
makes it easy for an individual to communicate with relative anonymity, quickly and effectively across
borders, to an almost limitless audience. The benefits of Internet technology are numerous, starting
with its unique suitability for sharing information and ideas, which is recognized as a fundamental
human right. It must also be recognized, however, that the same technology that facilitates such
communication can also be exploited for the purposes of terrorism. The use of the Internet for terrorist
purposes creates both challenges and opportunities in the fight against terrorism as while the internet
can be used for terrorism, it can also help fight the menace.

How it is used for terrorism

There are six means by which the internet is often used to promote and support terrorism:

1. Propaganda (including recruitment, radicalisation and incitement to terrorism);

2. Financing
3. Training
4. Planning (including through secret communication and open-source information)
5. Execution
6. Cyber attacks

Propaganda

One of the primary uses of the Internet by terrorists is for the dissemination of propaganda which
generally takes the form of multimedia communications providing ideological or practical instruction,
explanations, justifications or promotion of terrorist activities. These may include virtual messages,
presentations, magazines, treatises, audio and video files and videogames developed by terrorist
organizations or sympathizers. Further, the dissemination of propaganda is generally not, in and of itself,
a prohibited activity. One of the basic tenets of international law is the protection of fundamental
human rights, which include the right to freedom of expression. This guarantees an individual the right
to share an opinion or distribute content which may be considered objectionable by others, subject to
certain limited exceptions. Nonetheless, the fundamental threat posed by terrorist propaganda relates
to the manner in which it is used and the intent with which it is disseminated. Terrorist propaganda
distributed via the Internet covers a range of objectives and audiences. It may be tailored, inter alia, to
potential or actual supporters or opponents of an organization or shared extremist belief, to direct or
indirect victims of acts of terrorism or to the international community or a subset thereof. Propaganda
aimed at potential or actual supporters may be focused on recruitment, radicalization and incitement to
terrorism, through messages conveying pride, accomplishment and dedication to an extremist goal. It
may also be used to demonstrate the effective execution of terrorist attacks to those who have provided
financial support.

Financing

Terrorist organizations and supporters may also use the Internet to finance acts of terrorism. The
manner in which terrorists use the Internet to raise and collect funds and resources may be classified
into four general categories: direct solicitation, e-commerce, the exploitation of online payment tools
and through charitable organizations. Direct solicitation refers to the use of websites, chat groups, mass
mailings and targeted communications to request donations from supporters. Websites may also be
used as online stores, offering books, audio and video recordings and other items to supporters. Online
payment facilities offered through dedicated websites or communications platforms make it easy to
transfer funds electronically between parties. Funds transfers are often made by electronic wire
transfer, credit card or alternate payment facilities. Financial support provided to seemingly legitimate
organizations, such as charities, may also be diverted for illicit purposes. Some terrorist organizations
have been known to establish shell corporations, disguised as philanthropic undertakings, to solicit
online donations.

Training

In recent years, terrorist organizations have increasingly turned to the Internet as an alternative training
ground for terrorists. There is a growing range of media that provide platforms for the dissemination of
practical guides in the form of online manuals, audio and video clips, information and advice. These
Internet platforms also provide detailed instructions, often in easily accessible multimedia format and
multiple languages, on topics such as how to join terrorist organizations; how to construct explosives,
firearms or other weapons or hazardous materials; and how to plan and execute terrorist attacks. The
platforms act as a virtual training camp. They are also used to share, inter alia, specific methods,
techniques or operational knowledge for the purpose of committing an act of terrorism.

Planning

In the modern times, almost every case of terrorism involves the use of Internet technology. In
particular, planning an act of terrorism typically involves remote communication among several parties.
A case in point is from France titled as Public Prosecutor v. Hicheur, which illustrates how different
forms of Internet technology may be used to facilitate the preparation of acts of terrorism, including via
through communications within and between organizations promoting violent extremism, as well as
across borders. The ability of the Internet to bridge distances and borders, and the vast amount of
information publicly available in cyberspace, make the Internet a key tool in the planning of terrorist
acts.

Execution

Elements of the categories described above may be employed in the use of the Internet for the
execution of terrorist acts. For example, explicit threats of violence, including in relation to the use of
weapons, may be disseminated via the Internet to induce anxiety, fear or panic in a population or a
subset of the population. Internet communications may also be used as a means to communicate with
potential victims or to coordinate the execution of physical acts of terrorism. The use of the Internet in
furtherance of the execution of acts of terrorism may, inter alia, offer logistical advantages, reduce the
likelihood of detection or obscure the identity of responsible parties. Internet activity may also facilitate
the acquisition of items necessary for the execution of the attack.

Cyberattacks

A cyber-attack generally refers to the deliberate exploitation of computer networks as a means to

launch an attack. Such attacks are typically intended to disrupt the proper functioning of targets, such as
computer systems, servers or underlying infrastructure, through the use of hacking, advanced persistent
threat techniques, computer viruses, malware, phlooding or other means of unauthorized or malicious
access. Cyberattacks may bear the characteristics of an act of terrorism, including the fundamental
desire to instil fear in furtherance of political or social objectives.

Countering terrorist activity through the Internet

The terrorists' use of the internet is a transnational problem, requiring an integrated response across
borders and among national criminal justice systems. The United Nations plays a pivotal role in this
regard, facilitating discussion and the sharing of good practices among member states, as well as the
building of consensus on common approaches to combating the use of the internet for terrorism. The
applicable international legal framework related to counterterrorism is contained in a range of sources,
including resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council, treaties, jurisprudence and
customary international law.

While terrorists have developed many ways to use the Internet in furtherance of illicit purposes, their
use of the Internet also provides opportunities for the gathering of intelligence and other activities to
prevent and counter acts of terrorism, as well as for the gathering of evidence for the prosecution of
such acts. A significant amount of knowledge about the functioning, activities and sometimes the targets
of terrorist organizations is derived from website, chat room and other Internet communications.
Further, increased Internet use for terrorist purposes provides a corresponding increase in the
availability of electronic data which may be compiled and analysed for counter-terrorism purposes. Law
enforcement, intelligence and other authorities are developing increasingly sophisticated tools to
proactively prevent, detect and deter terrorist activity involving the use of the Internet. The use of
traditional investigative means, such as dedicated translation resources for the timely identification of
potential terrorist threats, is also expanding.
Online discussions provide an opportunity to present opposing viewpoints or to engage in constructive
debate, which may have the effect of discouraging potential supporters. Counter-narratives with a
strong factual foundation may be conveyed through online discussion forums, images and videos.
Successful messages may also demonstrate empathy with the underlying issues that contribute to
radicalization, such as political and social conditions, and highlight alternatives to violent means of
achieving the desired outcomes. Strategic communications that provide counter-narratives to terrorist
propaganda may also be disseminated via the Internet, in multiple languages, to reach a broad,
geographically diverse audience.

Intelligence-gathering

Tools in the commission of terrorist offences involving the internet and technological advancements
have provided many sophisticated means by which terrorists may misuse the internet for illicit purposes.

Effective investigations relating to internet activity rely on a combination of traditional investigative

methods, knowledge of the tools available to conduct illicit activity via the internet and the
development of practices targeted to identify, apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators of such acts. A
case from France illustrates how different types of investigative techniques, both traditional and
specifically relating to digital evidence, are employed in unison to compile the necessary evidence to
successfully prosecute terrorist use of the internet.

The investigation and prosecution of cases involving digital evidence requires specialist criminal
investigation skills, as well as the expertise, knowledge and experience to apply those skills in a virtual
environment. While the admissibility of evidence is ultimately a question of law and, therefore, within
the remit of the prosecutors, investigators should be familiar with the legal and procedural
requirements to establish admissibility for the purposes of both domestic and international
investigations.

A sound working knowledge of the requirements of applicable rules of evidence, and in particular with
respect to digital evidence, promotes the collection of sufficient admissible evidence by investigators to
support the successful prosecution of a case. For example, the procedures used in gathering, preserving
and analyzing digital evidence must ensure that a clear "chain of custody" has been maintained from the
time it was first secured, so that it could not have been tampered with from the moment of its seizure
until its final production in court.

Internet-based communication includes voice-over- Internet protocol, electronic mail, online messenger
services and chat rooms, file-sharing networks and cloud technology. Other investigations include data
encryption and anonymizing techniques, wireless technology, investigations of terrorist cases involving
the Internet, a systematic approach to investigations involving the Internet, tracing an IP address,
specialized investigative utilities and hardware, forensic data preservation and recovery, and supporting
the authentication of digital evidence.

The operational cybercrime units include national or regional cybercrime units, computer forensic triage
units, intelligence-gathering and training.
Prosecution

The role of prosecutors in the prosecution of terrorism cases has become increasingly complex and
demanding. In addition to responsibility for the conduct of criminal proceedings, prosecutors are
becoming more involved in the investigative and intelligence-gathering phases of terrorism cases,
providing guidance or supervision on the legal and strategic implications of various investigative
techniques.

Private sector cooperation

While the responsibility for countering the use of the internet for terrorist purposes ultimately lies with
a state itself, the cooperation of key private sector stakeholders is crucial to effective execution.
Network infrastructure for internet services is often owned, in whole or in part, by private entities.
Similarly, private companies typically own the social media platforms that facilitate the dissemination of
user-generated content to a broad audience, as well as popular Internet search engines, which filter
content based on user-provided criteria, cooperation with government authorities, data retention,
websites 'and other platforms hosting user-generated content, Internet search engines, monitoring
services, public-private partnerships. Since the level of government regulation of the Internet varies
greatly among states, in the absence of a global, centralised authority responsible for Internet
regulation, private stakeholders such as service providers, websites hosting user-generated content and
internet search engines continue to play an important role in controlling the availability of terrorism-
related content disseminated via the Internet.

Conclusion

With the increasing use of technology and the proliferation of smart phones and gadgets, the number of
cybercrimes has increased manifolds. The speed, global reach and relative anonymity with which
terrorists can use the Internet to promote their causes or facilitate terrorist acts, together with
complexities related to the location, retention, seizure and production of Internet related data, makes
timely and effective international cooperation between law enforcement and intelligence agencies an
increasingly critical factor in the successful investigation and prosecution of many terrorism cases. So,
changing digital trends have exacerbated the need for robust cybersecurity practices and systems that
keep computer systems and electronic data safe. In a world where more and more of our business and
social lives are online, getting hacked isn't just a direct threat to confidential data, it can also ruin
relationships and brands, and even result in significant legal jeopardy.