US Intelligence Sees Cyber Threats Eclipsing Terrorism: An Analysis

The most recents detections of how cyber warfare is inevitably coming was the accusations of Russia hacking the the Democratic National Committee and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s email’s releasing damaging evidence against them which ultimately lead to Donald Trump being named the President of The United States (Diamond, 2016). The effects of cyber warfare have leaked over in to televise series, forming shows such as CSI cyber, and the gaming world, Call Of Duty Infinite Warfare. Neglect regarding cyber security can: undermine the reputation of both the government and elected officials; force unacceptable expenditures associated with the cost of cleaning up after security breaches; cripple governments' abilities to respond to a wide variety of homeland security emergency situations or recover from natural or man-made threats; and disable elected officials' ability to govern (Lohrmann, 2010). Classified information such as overseas operators and attacks, missile locations, response plans and weaknesses, and much more cripples America’s ability to defend itself from enemies both foreign and domestic. To combat cyber terrorism is the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, or CISA. In an article titled “Why Cybersecurity Information Sharing Is A Positive Step for Online Security” it is discussed that under CISA, the Department of Homeland security will have more responsibility for domestic cybersecurity. CISA’s fundamental purpose is to better enable cybersecurity information to be shared between the private and public sectors (2016). The sharing of threat information between public and private sectors can give the the United States a head start by allowing them to share information rapidly and more often to combat enemy threats while still providing safety for privacy and civil

Since 9/11 attacks, the counter terrorism and preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction has become the top national security priorities. The Obama administration has exercised prodigious efforts to fight with terrorism, stooping Iran Nuclear programme and drawing red-line for Syrian use of chemical weapons. To safeguard the security of US citizens, it is most important

Today however, a new type of warfare has emerged and occurs when outside entities conduct an attack on a power grid, network, or both with the intent of causing damage. This type of warfare is called cyber warfare. In the United States computers control everything. It is no secret that hostile countries and terrorist organizations are cognizant and they know our economy, security, and infrastructure can be crippled by a successful cyber-attack. Examples of potential targets for cyber terrorists include military bases, water systems, banking facilities, air traffic control centers and power plants. Even the Commander in Chief, President Obama has stated the threat of a cyber war is real and we must prepare for it and increase our security measures. First, this paper will discuss cyberterrorism and cyber-attacks as they pose a direct threat to national security and the economy. Then, we will review cyber-attacks against the U.S. from China, Iran, and Russia along with the impact and possible ramifications from those attacks. Finally, this paper discusses U.S. strategies to minimize the impact of cyber-attacks.

After the 9/11 attacks in the United States, the War on Terror was the strategy that the Bush government developed with the aim to defeat the organization that had accomplished this, Al Qaeda. The immediate response of the Bush Administration after the attack was the invasion of Afghanistan, with the goal of eliminating and expel the targets that had made the country their sanctuary. This group was presented as the main threat of the 21st century, and as the enemy at the global scale. However, the idea of the War on Terror did not employ only in the Afghan context, the Islamic terrorist threat was spread through nine principal theatres . A new phenomenon had appeared in the international context, the Global Jihad , and the terrorist

In the past 25 years the nation has experienced numerous terrorist attacks. These attacks are designed to put fear in the average American’s hearts and minds. Citizen’s safety has been placed in the spotlight so much more now than before September 11th 2001. Although these attacks are on domestic soil, they often begin with planning and recruiting in places all around the world. Terrorism has just recently become an issue for America. Foreign policy needs to be tailored to this new type of combat.

Guns, knives, and conventional explosives have so far remained the weapons of choice for most terrorists; however, recently terrorist have gone to the tactics of using vehicles as well, since such weapons can cause many casualties and are relatively easy to acquire and use. But some terrorist groups now show interest in acquiring the capability to use chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) materials [Federal Emergency Management Agency, (July 2002)]. It is difficult to predict the likelihood of a CBRN attack, but most experts agree that today's terrorists are seeking the ability to use such agents in order to cause mass casualties [Federal Emergency Management Agency, (July 2002)]. Cyber-attacks are often considered in the same context with CBRN. Respectable experts have published sobering scenarios about the potential impact of a successful cyber-attack on the United States. Already, hackers and criminals have exploited some of our vulnerabilities [National Research Council. (2007)]. Terrorists are making extensive use of the new information technologies, and a conventional terrorist attack along with a coordinated cyber-attack could exponentially compound the damage [National Research Council. (2007)]. This changing nature of the terrorist threat raises the stakes in getting American counterterrorist policies and practices

The 9/11 attacks in Washington, Pennsylvania and New York brought to attention the threat of international terrorism and the devastation that it could cause for the major powers. These attacks provided the motivation that the Bush administration needed to authorise the invasion of Iraq. With the attacks brought the realisation that non-state groups had the capacity and willingness to strike against the USA and that the US no longer had a monopoly over war therefore validating the use of force against terrorist organizations (Amin, 2006). In light of 9/11 and other attacks aimed at the USA, the US embarked on a highly militarised anti-terrorist campaign (Bassil, 2012). In his 2002 State of the Union address, President George W. Bush confirmed

The U.S. soil had previously been unaffected by any type of foreign attack until the turn of the 21st century which marked a pivotal point. On September 11, 2001, the attack on the World Trade Center profoundly changed not only U.S. domestic and foreign policies but the world. The research conducted in this paper will explore the incidents that occurred on the terrorist attack that destroyed the Twin Towers and devastated the World Trade Center in New York. Many had threatened the U.S. but none have previously been successful. The impact of 9/11 introduced a new reform that included war on terrorism worldwide such as the deployment of U.S. military over seas as a result, the advancement of Homeland Security and subsidiary agencies, the

The War on Terrorism has been a dynamic concept since 9/11 catastrophe and having been changed during presidential rotations along with their polices within the framework of US Foreign Policy. Naturally, terrorism and its supporters have been the painful issues for America and the World since their radicalization and expansionism in the light of 9/11 and after. The US FP has always been elastic to a changing character of terrorism; it has formed US behavior, and, in particular, its foreign policy towards a terrorist threat. In turn, America has presented itself not solely as a global hegemon acting in an unipolarity but also as a severe advocate and defender of the World security and democracy; precisely, as a counterterrorist actor on the

The United States of America faces many key security challenges in the current world order and will continue to face evolving challenges under the leadership of the new Trump administration. Some of the national security challenges that the American government faces have been issues since the founding of the country, such as the existence of adversary states, but several others have arisen because of advancing technology and the rapid exchange of information in a globalized world. Examples of fairly recent national security challenges include international terrorism and cyber security threats, which have both had a large presence in the news lately and have drawn the focus and concern of the American people. As a result of the existence of

The attacks of September 11, 2001 had a large impact on the United States, and marked the beginning of the Global War on Terror (Dyson). However, with international terrorism

Since 9/11 attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center, U.S., many Americans often ask if they are safer today than they were fifteen years ago. The answer to that question is undetermined. Surely, U.S. has done an excellent job in thwarting terrorist plots in the years since 9/11 than compared to the six years prior . As Pope, Strom and Hollywood have shown, “from 1995- 2001, only 31.9% of plots were foiled”. However, in the aftermath of 9/11 attacks, from 2002 through 2012, 80.6% of all terrorist plots were foiled before getting to execution . The great strides made in thwarting plots comes at a huge cost. After 9/11, U.S. has pumped a colossal amount of resources into defense and

When the September 11, 2001 attacks occurred the United States responded in a manner which was seen as a traditional reaction to such an attack; it used its overwhelming superior military to invade the nation of Afghanistan. As Afghanistan was the operating base of the terrorist group responsible for the attacks, Al Qaeda, the invasion all but destroyed the group's operating capacity. But in response to the United States' apparent victory the terrorists have re-organized themselves into a looser confederation and turned to alternative methods of finance and operation. One could say that the success of the American military's answer to the September 11th attacks have created a new environment in which terrorists currently operate. This includes the use of the internet, unconventional alliances with international criminal organizations, as well the inception of the "lone wolf" terrorist. Faced with these new type of threats, the United States and its allies must find a way to identify and deal with them.

As a direct consequence of September 11, a number of substantial challenges lie ahead in the area of counter-terrorism..   The most prominent of these is the changing nature of the terrorism phenomenon.  In past years, when terrorism was largely the product of direct state sponsorship, policymakers were able to diminish prospects for the United States becoming a target using a combination of diplomatic and military instruments to deter potential state sponsors.  Today, however, many terrorist organizations and individuals act independently from former and present state sponsors, shifting to other sources of support, including the development of transnational networks.

A lot of opinions and meanings has been given to the word “Cyberterrorism”. Some of these meanings and definitions varies. In this light, Gordon and Ford (2003) are concerned that when 10 people define cyberterrorism and nine of the given answers are different, and these 10 people represent different government agencies tasked with safeguarding national assets and infrastructure, then it becomes a critical issue.