Staying Ahead of Cyber Crooks and Terrorists

The Straits Times

21 February 2014

HOW much harm can a terrorist do using technology? In today’s hyper-connected world, the short answer is: immense.

Imagine a cyber terrorist who kills someone by altering the digital information in a pacemaker.

Or introduces an electronic worm into a nuclear plant that initiates a series of actions that results in disaster.

These forms of cyber attack are possible as long as devices have e-connections.

And the worst of it all is that the virtual attackers are invisible. They can be located anywhere in the world. They can steal data and sell it to people, organisations or even states that have a hostile agenda.

… Developments in cyber terrorism in Indonesia and elsewhere worry security expert Rohan Gunaratna at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

In the past two years, terrorists have become very interested in attacking the websites of banks and government departments, he discloses. Cybertheft has become a means of raising money for their cause.

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