Summary
The topic of this week is particularly interesting to me: "Terrorism in an Age of WMD and Cyberwarfare." The assigned readings build upon the concern raised in my last blog regarding the acquisition of nuclear weapons by non-state actors and the risk this may pose to the international system and the concept of nation-states. Additionally, cyberterrorism and the use of unconventional weapons of war by terrorist groups are subjects that have captured my attention and on which I have previously conducted research.
It is important to note that there is no consensus on the definition of cyberterrorism. While it is understood that everything "cyber" is related to what takes place in cyberspace. It is also crucial to distinguish between terrorist acts that target structures and elements integrated into this cybernetic scenario and those executed through cyberspace but have a specific target outside of this intangibility. The latter are the ones that generate more concern from my perspective. As I have argued in my research paper, technological tools are the ideal mechanism to execute traditional war strategies, which have proven effective over the years, amplifying their reach and impact.
The focus of Gross's text, particularly his discussion regarding the impact of internet deprivation and the psychological effect it can have on citizens when disrupted by terrorist groups, caught my attention. It is very interesting to evaluate how internet deprivation can psychologically weaken victims. My research and argument focus on how the center of gravity of an enemy can be weakened through technological tools. While I have always leaned towards the establishment and implementation of psychological terror exercised through these tools, I have not focused my attention on the impact of the deprivation of access to them. Cybernetic tools and cyberspace are undoubtedly elements and scenarios that provide opportunities for terrorist groups to execute massive, high-impact attacks at a very low cost. It is undeniably a threat to international security and the balance of power, granting non-state actors a capability that was previously exclusive to states: military and armament capacity.
One reply on “Week 12”
Maria,
Your blog post raises a very interesting dimension of the cyber-terrorism issue regarding Internet denial. It is one that I probably should have spent some time on in class as well. We are now SO internet-dependent, both as a society and as individuals, that when it is taken away, either through a system failure or as a result of a denial of service attack, we suffer. Indeed, with the growing proliferation of the “internet of things,” it is now more than just a nice-to-have–i.e., we increasingly control our homes and everything in them via the Internet. This vulnerability is probably an under-studied issue, and I hope that, if it interests you, you will pursue it. –Professor Wallerstein