Cyber Terrorism Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cyber Terrorism - Case Study Example It is generally understood to mean unlawful attacks and threats of attack against computers, networks, and the information stored therein when done to intimidate or coerce a government or its people in furtherance of political or social objectives. Further, to qualify as cyber terrorism, an attack should result in violence against persons or property, or at least cause enough harm to generate fear. Attacks that lead to death or bodily injury, explosions, plane crashes, water contamination or severe economic loss would be examples† (Denning, 2000, p.1). Two other definitions of the term were created by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Coleman whose definitions are as follows: â€Å"unlawful attacks and threats of attack against computers, networks, and the information stored therein when done to intimidate or coerce a government or its people in furtherance of political or social objectives† (Wilson, 2008); and â€Å"the premeditated use of disrupt ive activities, or the threat thereof, against computers and/or networks, with the intention to cause harm or further social, ideological, religious, political or similar objectives, or to intimidate any person in furtherance of such objectives† (Coleman, 2003). ... Statement of the Purpose The purpose of the current case study is to present details on cyber-attack that had persisted between Pakistan and India over their territorial conflict on Kashmir. According to Vatis (2001), â€Å"this conflict illustrates the vulnerability of critical infrastructure systems to cyber attacks and the increasing willingness of groups to target sensitive systems during political conflicts† (p. 5). The case study, therefore, enhances awareness on conflicting parties’ increased vulnerabilities to cyber terrorist attacks and, thus, should focus on installing increased protection and security measures to prevent destructive disruptions. Description of the Subject The case covered the conflict between India and Pakistan over a territory: Kashmir. Historical events have traced the geopolitical dispute after the British occupation in 1947. Armed conflicts were used through the years before 1998 to resolve problems, after that the dispute eventually reso rted to electronic warfare ranging from hacking incidents to web defacements that disrupted websites in both private and public sectors of India and Pakistan. Chronology of the Case Study The India – Pakistan conflict over Kashmir could be traced from the end of the British occupation in 1947, when, according to a summarized discourse: â€Å"two countries stood where there once was one. Pakistan separated with the intention of being the nation for the Muslims of India. Kashmir, the roots of the boundary dispute between the two nations, was an autonomous state under British rule and remained so post-partition, when initially given a choice between Pakistan and India. Eventually though,