Open AccessCyberterrorism targeting the general public through social media
Author(s) -
Ayres Nicholas,
Maglaras Leandros A.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
security and communication networks
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.446
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1939-0122
pISSN - 1939-0114
DOI - 10.1002/sec.1568
Subject(s) - laptop , computer security , internet privacy , computer science , social media , population , focus (optics) , world wide web , medicine , environmental health , physics , optics , operating system
Current literature suggests that critical national infrastructure is the main focus of attack for cyberterrorism, but this research will address the issue of whether a mimetic virus would be a viable cyberterrorist attack against a target population. Statistical data was obtained from questionnaires with 100 random participants regarding their understanding and current levels of fear of a cyberterrorist attack against them; responses indicated that there was a good level of understanding as to what cyberterrorism was and that participants' fear levels of an impending attack were low. The participants were then introduced using a fabricated video clip to what they were led to believe was a real weaponised computer virus that attacked laptop batteries causing them to explode. The data showed that not only had participants' fear levels increased but also would modify future habits and behaviour. This research highlighted that the general public could indeed be a target of cyberterrorism, and a mimetic virus could be an effective method of attack. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.