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Comments
ISIS Cyber Threat To US Under Debate
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securityaffairs
securityaffairs,
 User Rank: Ninja
9/24/2014 | 2:11:55 AM
ISIS is a concrete cyber threat
I have no doubts, the ISIS is a concrete cyber threat and has the necessary skills and capabilities to conduct a major cyber attack against Western critical infrastructure.

ISIS members have the real perception of the effects of a cyber attacks and how to conduct it. We must be prepared and evaluate carefully the real security level of our infrastructure, unfortunately many security researchers have demonstrated over the years that is too easy to locate over the internet a vulnerable system and exploit it in a cyber offensive.

Consider also that we are approaching cyber warfare matter, the conflicts are instantaneous in nature and asymmetric, impossible to predict and with objective difficulties for related attribution.

Never let the guard down ... the enemy is ready!
aws0513
aws0513,
 User Rank: Ninja
9/24/2014 | 8:37:50 AM
The unmeasurable threat
As real as the ISIS threat is, there is another real threat that is hard to measure and predict until it happens.

Hacktivism is a relatively new threat on the cyberwar landscape.  There are citizens of other countries that may find reason to support the ISIS cause OR fall into that "the enemy of my enemy" mentality.  Depending on how well the ISIS campaign is conducted, this threat may be nothing, or it may boil into a completely different and unexpected cyber campaign.
Kelly Jackson Higgins
Kelly Jackson Higgins,
 User Rank: Strategist
9/24/2014 | 11:47:17 AM
Re: The unmeasurable threat
One thing I didn't go into in my story that I've been thinking about and talking to experts about is how ISIS uses social media to recruit and reach out, and how that could be an avenue for recruiting DDoS participants, kind of how Anonymous did in its hacktivist campaigns. It was easy for Anon to get LOIC recruits for DDoS attacks, so it makes you wonder if the same would be true for ISIS or another terror group to do via social media. Then again, the question is whether DDoS really fits ISIS's MO.
Whoopty
Whoopty,
 User Rank: Ninja
9/24/2014 | 1:04:52 PM
PRISM
It's a little surprising that the US is worried about potential ISIS security threats. It's previously made claims that the PRISM scheme and other NSA snooping measures are in place to prevent terrorism, be it real world or digital.

Of course we know that that isn't necessarily the case, but surely with that sort of comprehensive tracking system in place, any sort of attack could be instantly spotted and tracked to its source? Otherwise what's the point of tapping into cables and suffering through all the public outcry? 
Kelly Jackson Higgins
Kelly Jackson Higgins,
 User Rank: Strategist
9/24/2014 | 1:17:34 PM
Re: PRISM
Tapping cables won't necessarily catch an insider threat/pilfered credentials of an authorized insider.
aws0513
aws0513,
 User Rank: Ninja
9/24/2014 | 3:39:21 PM
Re: The unmeasurable threat
It has yet to be determined what ISIS would want from the cyber-community other than support.  I am sure they would accept any help for their cause as long as it causes problems for their enemies.

When it comes to hacktivism it may not be that ISIS is good at recruiting as much as other misguided souls decide that the defiance that ISIS has toward western developed countries is in line with their ideologies and/or goals.  What is difficult to predict is what activities or information may fan the fires of dissent and cause such people to act in the name of or in league with ISIS.
Marilyn Cohodas
Marilyn Cohodas,
 User Rank: Strategist
9/24/2014 | 4:22:00 PM
Re: The unmeasurable threat
It's  difficult to predict what cybercrimes a westerner would be recruited to  perform for ISIS, though we know for sure that some of it is creating web videos and dissiminating them via social media. What's harder to understand is the process that turns an individual into a jihadist who carries out horrific acts.  There has been a lot of ink spilled about the Boston marathon bombers  -- and maybe we will get a better sense after the trial of  Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. But now I'm as clueless as ever about how and why these things happen.


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