Rational Choice Theory Explainaning Cyber Terrorism - Research Paper Example

? Can rational choice theory explain cyber terrorism in the United s? Supervisor: Can rational choice theory explain cyber terrorism in the United States? Introduction Terrorism a contemporary issue in the society with past major attacks such as the New York’s September 11. It has been associated with political motives that aim at intimidating governments and organizations because of their actions or intended actions and sometimes with the aim of influencing decisions to be made by political forces. While traditional approach to terrorism involved physical attacks on property and people in whom the target political organizations have interests, technological developments have enhanced such attacks that can now be done on the internet and may target networks and their contents instead of targeting people and physical property. This defines the scope of cyber terrorism and I, in this paper, explore the scope of cyber terrorism and existence of a relationship between the scope of cyber terrorism and Rational Choice Theory and the theory’s applicability to cyber terrorism in the United States. Cyber terrorism The definition of cyber terrorism is controversial because of differences in professional perspectives. Information technology experts, for example, dispute diversified opinions over the term cyber terrorism and existence of such a crime. There are however many security based definitions of cyber terrorism and their consideration can coin a comprehensive meaning. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), defines cyber terrorism as an offensive that employs “computer or communication networks” to inflict significant harm or disorientation with the aim of creating “fear or to intimidate” a group in order to achieve an objective (Centre of Excellence Defence Against Terrorism, 2008, p. 119). The organization however identifies limitation in this definition because of lack of the physical aspects in the scope of the alleged attacks. The National Infrastructure Protection Center however offers a more comprehensive definition that incorporates elements of violence in the offensive acts, confusion as the attackers’ intentions, and “political and social” influence as possible objectives (Centre of Excellence Defence Against Terrorism, 2008, p. 119). The federal Bureau of Investigations further incorporates pre-established plans into the acts that majorly target civilians (Centre of Excellence Defence Against Terrorism, 2008). Cyber terrorism is therefore a planned attack on a civilian group that is affiliated to a target political force, implemented using computer based applications and communication systems and leads to violence, destruction of property and disorientations in order to instill fear and intimidate people into the offender’s desires political, social, or ideological needs. Elements of cyber terrorism The scope of cyber terrorism identifies many elements. One of its major elements is the speed with which it is executed and the number of people that it affects. Being an illegal act that authorities would wish to divert, the crime is conducted at a swift speed to ensure success through avoiding possible prevention measures. The faster nature of the crime also identifies with its medium of execution, the internet, which is instant. Cyber terrorism also affects many people because of the medium’s property and the crime’s aims. The internet condenses data and this means that extensive information that affects many people can be targeted by a single attack. Further, communication through the internet is fast, information is accessible to many people, and this spreads impacts of the offensive to a wider population (Keene, 2011). Illegal access to a system is another feature of cyber terrorism whose scope includes hacking of a target’s website to interfere with its data or use the site to communicate the terrorists’ intended messages (Broadhurst, 2004). Application of computer and computer-based applications is another element of the crime that can only be executed over the internet. “Destruction or disruption” of processes are other elements of the crime (Centre of Excellence Defence Against Terrorism, 2008, p. 119). The destruction or disruption may be real when a network is the primary target and a country’s intelligence network is an example of a target that can be destroyed by a virus or stalled to facilitate a terrorist attack. Destruction may also be virtual through blackmail (Centre of Excellence Defence Against Terrorism, 2008). Reasons for people’s involvement in cyber terrorism The scope of cyber terrorism, apart from the virtual approach and its manifestation through the internet, corresponds to the wider scope of terrorism, its objectives, and reasons for people’s involvement in terrorist acts. Cyber terrorists have diversified reasons for their actions whose ultimate objective is to intimidate an organization towards a shift in political, social, or ideological perspective. One of the reasons for cyber terrorism that is also identifiable with the wider scope of terrorism is the quest for popularity. The people who perform the terrorist acts believe that their success will make them popular among their victims and the media. They also believe that their successful threats and destruction will communicate their outstanding knowledge and expertise in technology and may be offer rewards. One of such examples is the provisions of software by technology firms for managing internal security threats. Subjecting people to threats or intimidation is another reason of cyber terrorism that terrorists use to achieve their objectives. While their main targets, especially political organizations, are occasionally strong and less vulnerable to threats, civilians under the systems are and the terrorists use their vulnerability to reach the political targets (Centre of Excellence Defence Against Terrorism, 2008; Freedman, 2007). Direct intimidation or threat on governments and other targets is another reason for a cyber terrorist attack and often occur when a terrorist can identify the target’s vulnerability. Hacking of websites to paralyze operations or to retrieve information that can be used against a target organization is an example and empowers the terrorist or terrorist group over the target. Religious blackmail towards fostering one religion over another, as explained by the scope of jihad among Islam, is another reason for cyber terrorism. With this aim, a terrorist or a terror group can use blackmail against a religion or threaten followers of a religion with the aim of undermining their faith (Centre of Excellence Defence Against Terrorism, 2008; Freedman, 2007). Punishing people for their government’s wrongs or intentions is another reason for cyber terrorism. A cyber terrorist may also initiate attacks just to inflict suffering on other people because of personal conditions and the urge that other people should similarly face such suffering. Such reasons may be achieved through psychological intimidation of the target population or interference with essential services that may be technologically dependent (Freedman, 2008). People also commit cyber crimes in order to facilitate running conflicts that involve their societies or governments. While the running conflict may be real such as the military warfare between the Israeli and Palestine, cyber terrorist from the two factions may launch internet-based attacks on members of the enemy nation. The primary objective may be to communicate anger, to inflict harm, or to intimidate the enemy. This reason may also be implemented through message overload on a target’s website in order to communicate a message. Counter attack is another reason for committing a cyber crime such as internet-based attacks that were directed at the United States following its accidental military attack on China’s high commission in Yugoslavia (Puran, 2003). Rational choice theory and its elements Rational choice theory is an approach to understanding the process that criminals assume towards engaging in the offensive activities. It explains the criminal process that involves the criminals’ analytical approach that evaluates involved costs and benefits of an intended act and makes decision from possible net effects. Based on the theory, a person will engage in a criminal activity if possible benefits from the act outweighs possible adverse effects (Vito, Maahs and Holmes, 2006). The theory establishes normalcy among criminals and even proposes the idea that the criminals relies on their intelligence in deciding to commit a crime. This contradicts traditional assumptions that criminals act irrationally and should therefore be considered as abnormal people (Walsh and Hemmens, 2010). The theory approaches criminology with limited presumptions on the criminals and is identified as a significant element to managing crimes. Its scope that eliminates bias, unlike previous criminal theories, therefore offers a more reliable basis for preventing and even managing crimes (Walklate, 2007). Samaha offers a more explorative scope of the theory and explains the criminals’ conviction in the acts that they chose to commit or omit towards crimes. According to the author, criminals’ actions are driven by their faith in what they pursue and their self-interest. This therefore identifies three elements of the theory, reasoning criminal,” “a crime specific focus,” and an independent evaluation involvement in a crime and the crime itself (Samaha, 2005, p. 72). The rationale aspect of the theory postulates that involvement in a criminal activity occurs because of a perceived benefit from the act. Further, criminals approach the acts with established goals. The analytical aspect of the theory further recognizes existence of alternatives for the criminals (Samaha, 2005). Applicability of Rational Choice Theory to cyber terrorism The Rational Choice Theory is applicable to cyber terrorism though its foundation for understanding criminals’ minds and its basis for developing strategies for preventing and managing cyber crimes. The theory can for example be used to formulate a deterrence strategy for preventing cyber crimes. Its provision that criminals are rational to evaluate possible consequences of their actions means that developing measures that induce adverse consequences to the terrorists can deter involvement in cyber terrorism. Technological approach that can track a source of a cyber terrorist attack legal frameworks that can prosecute and charge cyber terrorist identify adverse consequences and force terrorists to reconsider their initiatives before engaging in cyber terrorism. This can however be successful if high penalties are laid against the criminals. The theory is also applicable to cyber terrorism because of its identification of a seclusion approach to preventing crime. Based on the assumption that criminals are rational in their evaluation into a crime, separating the target from the criminals by enhancing security measures on networks would increase the cost of cyber terrorism and make it irrational for the criminals (Vito, Maahs and Holmes, 2006; Samaha, 2005). Conclusion Cyber terrorism is a contemporary and common issue. Its elements include high speed of execution, illegal access to networks and application of computer technology and people engage in it for fame, intimidation, to facilitate running conflicts, to retaliate, and to communicate their ideas with the aim of influencing political, religious, or ideological decisions. Rational choice theory that explains criminals’ intellectual approach into criminal activities is applicable to cyber crimes and offers basis for preventing and managing the crimes in the United States. References Broadhurst, R. (2006). Developments in the global law enforcement of cyber-crime. Police Strategies and Management (29.3); 408- 433. Centre of Excellence Defence Against Terrorism. (2008). Responses to cyber terrorism. Amsterdam: IOS Press. Freedman, J. (2007). America debates civil liberties and terrorism. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group. Freedman, J. (2008). Civil liberties and terrorism: Easyread large bold edition. New York, NY: ReadHowYouWant.com. Keene, S. (2011). Terrorism and the internet: A double-edged sword. Journal of Money Laundering Control (14.4); 359- 370. Puran, R. (2003). Beyond conventional terrorism: The cyber assault. Retrieved from: http://www.sans.org/reading_room/whitepapers/threats/conventional-terrorismthe-cyber-assault_931. Samaha, J. (2005). Criminal justice with infotrac. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning. Vito, G., Maahs, J. and Holmes, R. (2006). Criminology: Theory, research, and policy. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Walklate, S. (2007). Understanding criminology: Current theoretical debates. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill International. Walsh, A. and Hemmens, C. (2010). Introduction to criminology: A text/reader. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE. Read More