Is Cyberterrorism = Terrorism?
Hi Delegates!
Hope your research is coming along well. In today's post, I wanted to shed light on the topic of cyber terrorism and how seriously they are considered as threats.
If you can recall from the topic synopsis, it was stated that the UN still does not have a proper definition for cyberterrorism and hence why it is so imperative to discuss these issues. In an article released late last year by BBC, it was stated that the UK considers a cyber-security threat as serious as general terrorism, especially after the 600 cyber attacks that required a national response within the last year. This included the attack on the NHS in May last year that resulted in the disrupted hospital and GP appointments.
So the real question is this - should every country link cyber-terrorism to the same threat level as general terrorism? Why or why not? Would it help open up the discussion on cyber terrorism?
Here is the link to the article:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41547478
Give it a read and feel free to comment any concerns that you may have regarding any of the points made in the article!
~ Ruchir
Hope your research is coming along well. In today's post, I wanted to shed light on the topic of cyber terrorism and how seriously they are considered as threats.
If you can recall from the topic synopsis, it was stated that the UN still does not have a proper definition for cyberterrorism and hence why it is so imperative to discuss these issues. In an article released late last year by BBC, it was stated that the UK considers a cyber-security threat as serious as general terrorism, especially after the 600 cyber attacks that required a national response within the last year. This included the attack on the NHS in May last year that resulted in the disrupted hospital and GP appointments.
So the real question is this - should every country link cyber-terrorism to the same threat level as general terrorism? Why or why not? Would it help open up the discussion on cyber terrorism?
Here is the link to the article:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41547478
Give it a read and feel free to comment any concerns that you may have regarding any of the points made in the article!
~ Ruchir
Considering the sophistication of technology and its incorporation as an essential part of the infrastructure of many governments around the world, cyberterrorism poses an ever-growing threat. While the use of computers and other electronics can create efficiency in any modern government, it also adds a level of vulnerability to hackers, data breaches, and stolen information. Keeping this in mind, the delegation of China strongly supports the strengthening of laws and protections to combat these cybercriminals, which would, therefore, mean that the level of threat cyber terrorism poses should be elevated. Terrorism is defined as, “the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.” This definition does not constrain terrorism to physical attacks, and virtually anything that stokes fear amongst a population or causes harm can fall under this category, including cyberterrorism.
ReplyDeleteChina recognizes the platform that the cyberspace provides many terrorist groups, and therefore the risk of their propaganda being distributed to mass amounts of people is becoming more and more of a possibility. Furthermore, the accessibility of the common person to the internet can also expose them to this type of dangerous content. With various government institutions also relying on technology to store and record information, the possibility of this data being breached by an adversary has also become a pressing issue. Taking all of this into consideration, China strongly sides with the U.K. and would encourage other nations to tackle issues of cyber terrorism as they would any physical terrorism.
-The Delegation of China
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ReplyDeleteThe Democratic People's Republic of Korea does have a drafted definition for cyberterrorism, which we look forward to discussing during committee. To summarize, terrorism is defined as "The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence against individuals or property in an attempt to coerce or intimidate governments or societies to achieve political, religious or ideological objectives" (NATO 2014). However, bringing in the "cyber" factor both narrows and expands this definition to include all of the same threats as defined through terrorism, but through the internet as well. In the sense that "identity theft" can mean both the impersonation of another as an online presence, as well as physically taking another person's passport or credit card, we aim to have the definition of terrorism become broader to include cyber actions, and at the same time, narrow this definition to specify that online actions will be considered terrorism to avoid loopholes.
ReplyDeleteWe look forward to proposing our ideas as well as discussing these propositions with all of you.
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea
The delegation of the United States believes that it is imperative to have the same intensity, and the same international approach to cyber attacks as we do to general terrorism. As we continually move into a society ever more reliant on technology, the threat posed to nations from terrorists is no longer just physical, but also expands to the digital world. As cyber terrorism is one of the fastest growing threats, not only to individuals, public and private organizations, but to nations as a whole, we must ensure the correct methods of prevention are being actioned. Cyber terrorism must be considered as an imminent threat at all times. Each and every terrorist has specific motivations that they wish to convey by inflicting harm. Thus, it must be taken in under all accounts and measures as would a normal terrorism attack. Addressing cyber terrorism in the form of a traditional terrorist attack will most definitely open up the discussion on cyber terrorism. With more and more becoming knowledgeable on what exactly cyber terrorism is, it will be considered and taken in like a physical attack. A cyber attack can be actioned at any place or time, with a simple click of a button. With the international community becoming aware of the potential devastating threats cyber terrorism poses, there will inevitably be more talk on the arising issue of cyber terrorism today. Therefore, the United States urges and completely agrees with the United Kingdom in the form of which it should be accounted for.
ReplyDeleteThe Delegation of the United States
Considering that cyberterrorism can impose the same amount of destruction within a government or company as terrorism, the country of Botswana believes that the threat of cyberterrorism is equal to the threat of terrorism. As a developing country, Botswana lacks access to technology that more developed countries have, making them more susceptible to cyber crime. The country of Botswana has experienced the damage of cyber terrorism first hand, which is why Botswana has taken action to prevent cyberterrorism by amending their Cybercrime and Computer-Related Crime Bill to ensure that those caught committing cybercrime or cyber terrorism are punished. This bill enables police to receive information from the computer and track the sources of cyberterrorism and implements a jail term of 7 year for committing cyber crime. The country of Botswana believes that it is imperative for countries to consider cyberterrorism as a threat equal to terrorism. Considering that as of June 2018 approximately 55.1% of the global population has access to the internet, it is essential for countries to recognize the dangers that cyberterrorism can impose on their nation. The country of Botswana fully supports the United Kingdom's claim that cyberterrorism is a major threat to society and looks forward to discussing this issue in committee.
ReplyDeleteThe Delegation of Botswana
The Central African Republic understands the importance there is in ensuring the safety of cyberspace as a whole, along with the digital infrastructure and data that relies on it. Nations must engage in multilateral collaboration in order to develop strategies to protect their own infrastructure, especially in regards to developing nations, in which not only are digital services more vulnerable, but attacks can be more costly. ICTs have become fundamental to 21st century society, as we have seen in Africa - over 400 people today have access to such devices. The CAR has been a supporter of multilateral action in combating protecting both our regional and global cyberspace, taking part in the first African Forum on Cybercrime in October 2018 as a member of the African Union. We strongly appreciate the focus that has been placed on capacity building in regards to cybersecurity, as nations must be able to to both prevent and detect intrusions as quickly as possible in order to prevent major damage. Not only have cyber threats become more advanced, but they have also shifted from affecting primarily consumers to harming global political and economic environments. We need to advance our methods in cybersecurity to combat such threats, and the CAR has taken note of this, strongly exploring growing trends in the field: artificial intelligence and machine learning. We hope to discuss how to better the way we protect our digital worlds with other delegations in committee.
ReplyDeleteThe Central African Republic
Andorra firmly believes that it is essential that the UN does not underestimate the damage cyberterrorism can cause. Any act of cyberterrorism is an attack on infrastructure and has the potential to harm many human lives. Cyberterrorism can range from the 2015 attacks on French media which led to the broadcasting of radical Islamic propaganda to attacks such as those that crippled Ukrainian infrastructure in 2017. With the integration of internet in all aspects of today's infrastructure, cyberterrorism has the potential to wreak havoc on essential businesses and infrastructure with possibly deadly consequences and casualties far greater than those of traditional terrorist attacks. As most systems are not properly protected to safeguard against cyberterrorist attacks, there is a great possibility that cyberterrorism will take far more lives in the future than traditional terrorism. It is essential that the UN bring attention to this issue and make efforts to solve it, and the first step to doing so is to label cyberterrorism as what it could become, or perhaps what it already is - terrorism on a scale the world has never seen before.
ReplyDeleteCyber terrorism has increased dramatically over the past few years, it creates a serious threat around the world. Luxembourg government strongly believes that cyberterrorism should be considered as a serious type of terrorism that must be punished with imprisonment. With the development of technology and the increase of the application of the internet, protecting the national and international security should be considered as one of the most important priorities. In Luxembourg National Cybersecurity strategy, address cybercrime, increase citizen awareness, and critical information infrastructure protection are stated and promoted. The delegation of Luxembourg believes that it is important to raise the public awareness of cybersecurity in each country as well as develop strong digital system to protect national interests. In conclusion, the delegation of Luxembourg strongly agrees with the consideration of the UK that cyberterrorism is a general type of terrorism. We are looking forward to address and solve the issue of cyberterrorism with all member states in this committee.
ReplyDeleteThe delegation of Luxembourg