Terror on the Internet: The New Arena, the New Challenges

What are the opportunities for terrorist groups on the Internet? What are the possible consequences of an attack on the net? Which are the most common types of attack? Could a virtual attack combined with a physical attack be possible? Which are the ethical and legal limits when taking action on the Internet in order to protect the safety of the citizens? Gabriel Weimann, an eminent communication and terrorism analyst and professor of Communications at Haifa University in Israel, tackles the basic aspects of the issue of civil rights (such as privacy or freedom of expression) and public safety against possible cyberthreats. Terror on the Internet offers an excellent overview of the origin and evolution of the scenario of cyberterrorism from the various approaches that shape it. It also highlights the interests of direct and indirect actors involved in it. This book is relevant for professionals in the fields of counterterrorism and security on the Internet, since it expands the knowledge of these areas and goes deeper into the actual use of this technology in this area. Finally, it may be very useful as a source of suggestions for prospective analysis or for establishing possible tendencies in the evolution of this threat and how to counter it. To respond these questions, Weimann comes across with valuable examples, gathered from the dark side of the net during his eightyear research, as well as reflections by several media, such as the Washington Post or the New York Times, and the work of prestigious professionals such as Paul Eedle or Dorothy Denning. He also compiles the arguments of organizations linked to the defense of civil rights, such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC). He also completes his research with an analysis of some of the government actions carried out against this threat, mainly from the