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Cyberterrorism

As the Internet and computer technology have changed the nature of crime, so they are changing the nature of war. As complex and rapidly changing areas, they can also foster fear and confusion. In this context, cyberterrorism has no one precise meaning; rather, it means different things to different people. Cyberterrorism exploits human fear to achieve goals, using the Internet and computer technology.

Multiple Meanings

Defining cyberterrorism reflects the difficulty of defining terrorism in general. On one level, cyberterrorism can be thought of as the use of the Internet and computer technology, devices, software, and networks to gain power and control over others, by states, groups, or individuals. An example of state cyberterrorism is Operation Aurora, in which the Chinese government monitored its own citizens through a ...

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