Terrorists Recruit For Cyberwar, Official Says

Islamic extremist groups are expanding their use of the internet as a tool to further their war against the West. Some jihadi websites offer instructions on hacking. While US defense officals claim jihadists are attempting to recruit computer experts to raise funds through online fraud schemes and perpetrate cyberattacks. US and Italian authorities recently disrupted an Italy-based international telephone fraud ring that employed hackers in the Philippines and might have links to Osama bin Laden. According to this article, while terrorists groups are no match for powerful governments like the US, Russia and China in terms of cyberwarfare capabilities, they may be able to hire hackers with comparable expertise. Online terrorist presence is not new, as Islamic extremist groups have frequently used the internet as a tool for recruiting and propaganda. But if the aim is to unsettle the West, even hacking into a small number of important institutions or perpetrating a few identity thefts could have a great impact psychologically and financially. – YaleGlobal