Discuss some of the treats that Cyberterrorism pose. How can cyberattacks be prevented - Essay Example

This new class of threats has been termed as cyber – threats, and in the present scenario, there is no section of society that can afford it. The modus operandi of cyber – threats entails the employment of computer technology to perpetrate fraud, heinous crimes and other harmful acts against society. These threats are principally aimed at destroying the internal order of society. Thus, cybercrime can be understood as crimes that are committed through computer networks or by using the Internet (Brenner 381 - 383).

Terrorists harvest money and indulge in other criminal objectives via computer technology. Their requirements for conducting such nefarious activities are a personal computer with an internet connection. With this arsenal, even smalltime cyber terrorists can communicate with other members in their group and their opponents. They utilize the internet to share novel methods to employ in their future attacks and other important information. Terrorists have created their own intelligence networks through the internet; and the expenditure incurred by them, in gathering intelligence is negligible, in comparison to the amount spent by most nations for collecting intelligence.

Furthermore, terrorists can easily plan and execute their operations through computer networks. These terrorist groups assist each other, in order to enhance their cyber capabilities; and they interact with each other, for the purposes of planning and commissioning their projects. They have the capability to attack the Global Information Grid and the systems connected to it. Their ultimate aim is to destroy critical infrastructure. The general perception is that terrorists are associated with physical violence and death.

However, in marked variance to this general view about terrorists and their operations, several terrorists are highly educated and capable of handling the highly sophisticated computer technologies. These