Cyber Terrorism in International Relations - Research Paper Example

Despite the multiplicity of the peaceful uses and civil nature of the Internet, there have been other non-peaceful uses. This trend has led to new international conflicts based on the cyber terrorism phenomenon. This is brought by an interaction between information and communication technology, on one hand, terrorism and war, on the other hand, triggering complex issues and different challenges in front of all actors of the States and groups and individuals. Cyberterrorism is the use of digital technologies to scare the subjection of others.

It involves attacking information systems on the background of political motives, and ethnic, social, or religious issues. Thus criminals create a terrorist attacks on the internet aiming at violence against people or property or at least spread fear and terror (Wiemann, 2006). Cyberterrorism depends on the exploitation of the means of communication and information networks, in order to intimidate others, damage, or threaten. Terrorism and the internet are linked in two ways. First, there is exercise or acts of sabotage on computer networks and the internet.

  Secondly, the internet has become a platform for groups and individuals to disseminate messages of hatred and violence and to communicate with each other and supporters and sympathizers (Graham, 2010). With the growth of the Internet and information technology, terrorists will be more dependent on electronic communication technology in the future. Thus, future wars will become more complex and dangerous. States and governments must impose adequate control of all internet networks to prevent entry into some of the sites which are used by terrorists.

Cyberterrorism is within the fourth generation of wars which evolved from realistic wars during the three generations and ended in proxy wars on the territory of other States (Wiemann, 2006). The fourth generation of digital wars penetrates the limits of solid-state tractor armies. It has become easy to penetrate the borders of the state due to transparent infiltration using internet information networks.