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Cyber Terrorism – Electronic Activism and the Potential Threat to the United Kingdom
Wareham A, Furnell SM
Advances in Communications, Computing, Networks and Security 5, ISBN: 978-1-84102-257-4, pp172-180, 2008
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The recent rise of anti-terrorist action in response to deemed terrorist organisations has been a major international concern, prompting military action as well as domestic reforms by the United Kingdom since the attacks of 2001. In addition to the physical threat of terrorist activities, the utilisation of computer systems and services to promote a further threat has also become a point of significant interest. Dubbed ‘Cyber terrorism’ by government groups, media agencies and specialist software and hardware manufacturers the potential risk of ‘e-activism’ has seemingly increased, most notably of all due to widespread adoption of the Internet.

However, it is relevant to ask what we actually know about ‘cyber terrorism’, and whether it actually poses a realistic threat to the United Kingdom. This paper discusses the various aspects of activism online, utilising analysis of cited attacks to examine the methods and impact of direct pressure at both the corporate and national level.

Wareham A, Furnell SM