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The Causes And Impacts Of Cyberterrorism And The Popular Media

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Chapter 7 Cyberterrorism Cyberterrorism has been hard to specifically define. With the sensationalism of popular media, the action and drama of Hollywood films, and new ways of attacking and bothering people via the internet popping up regularly (Weimann, 2004). Dorothy Dunning coined a widely utilized definition: “Cyberterrorism is the convergence of cyberspace and terrorism. It refers to 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 cyberterrorism, 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, or severe economic loss would be examples. Serious attacks against critical infrastructures could be acts of cyberterrorism, depending on their impact. Attacks that disrupt nonessential services or that are mainly a costly nuisance would not.” (Denning, 2000) According to Denning and others Cyberterrorism consists of the attack and harm of people to further an agenda. So, if a hacker or group attacks a company’s website and post obscene messages and causes annoyance to the company it is not cyberterrorism; but if a group attacks a 911 system downing it for several hours and people who are unable to reach 911 die that would be terrorism (Denning, 2000). Despite the fact

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