David De Walt, Chief Executive of FireEye has warned that ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, may start targeting the Western hemisphere’s computer networks. According to De Walt, ISIS is beginning to look at accessing cyber weaponry and, as has been recently observed, they have already used the internet as a recruitment resource and platform from which to promote terrorist demands.
Cyber attacks are becoming more commonplace in modern warfare prompting NATO to announce that it will incorporate cyber attacks into the alliance’s collective defence doctrine. This move comes as malicious software “kits” are becoming more accessible over the internet and, therefore, it could simply be a matter of time before terrorist organisations such as ISIS seek to deploy cyber attacks with potentially devastating results. The Syrian Electronic Army has already claimed responsibility for recent attacks on websites including the New York Times and Financial Times, demonstrating the vulnerabilities which exist in this area.