Home
Pentagon Cybersecurity Initiative Targets Digitally Dimwitted Terrorists
© AFP 2016/ Thomas Samson
US
06:08 03.02.2016(updated 08:33 03.02.2016) Get short URL
023420
The small number of amateur cyber-jockeys who seek to harm the US use poor encryption and are barely capable of writing unsophisticated malware; these extremists pose practically no online threat to US National Security, according to Meg King, a Director of the Digital Futures Project at the Wilson Center and Grayson Clary, a Research Associate with the Digital Futures Project.
In late August 2015, Junaid Hussain, a "British national considered the Islamic State's most capable hacker — though that may not have been a high bar to clear," King wrote, was killed in a targeted airstrike by the US.
US airstrikes targeting Daesh have killed two of the group's known hackers, including Siful Haque Sujan, who graduated from an information technology school in the UK and was "supporting (Daesh) hacking efforts, anti-surveillance technology and weapons development," according to the Pentagon.
Sujan was labeled a "top hacker" by Hussain, and the capabilities of both men were often overstated in the media. While Hussain enjoyed some notoriety for a string of nuisance attacks, none of his efforts amounted to real damage, as his tools and scripts were easily identified and neutralized.
The current US military strategy of targeted killing campaigns arguably seeks to make individual militants more important than they actually are. Dead, Sujan and Hussein carry more weight as a symbol of martyrdom, and their deaths can easily be manipulated to prompt more recruits.
© AFP 2016/ Thomas Samson
US
06:08 03.02.2016(updated 08:33 03.02.2016) Get short URL
023420
Hackers undisputedly cost businesses and individuals hundreds of millions of dollars and their actions sometimes even result in bodily harm or death; the Pentagon has capitalized on this by fueling fearful rhetoric over the purported threat posed by terrorist groups to justify any number of big-budget cybersecurity programs.
But the hacking capabilities of Daesh are thought by many to be overblown, leading to a popular opinion by more knowledgeable heads that the fundamentalist group is not such an online danger after all.The small number of amateur cyber-jockeys who seek to harm the US use poor encryption and are barely capable of writing unsophisticated malware; these extremists pose practically no online threat to US National Security, according to Meg King, a Director of the Digital Futures Project at the Wilson Center and Grayson Clary, a Research Associate with the Digital Futures Project.
In late August 2015, Junaid Hussain, a "British national considered the Islamic State's most capable hacker — though that may not have been a high bar to clear," King wrote, was killed in a targeted airstrike by the US.
US airstrikes targeting Daesh have killed two of the group's known hackers, including Siful Haque Sujan, who graduated from an information technology school in the UK and was "supporting (Daesh) hacking efforts, anti-surveillance technology and weapons development," according to the Pentagon.
Sujan was labeled a "top hacker" by Hussain, and the capabilities of both men were often overstated in the media. While Hussain enjoyed some notoriety for a string of nuisance attacks, none of his efforts amounted to real damage, as his tools and scripts were easily identified and neutralized.
The current US military strategy of targeted killing campaigns arguably seeks to make individual militants more important than they actually are. Dead, Sujan and Hussein carry more weight as a symbol of martyrdom, and their deaths can easily be manipulated to prompt more recruits.
» Prime Minister: Our government has provided great support for the success of the activities, program
» Appreciating the presence of Al-Sudani... Director General of the Arab Labor Organization: Here from
» Al-Sudani: The world is witnessing crises that reflect negatively on the Arab and international peop
» Prime Minister: Our government has provided great support for the success of the activities, program
» The Parliamentary Development Institute organizes a workshop on the political role of the representa
» With Arab and international participation. Tomorrow will be the start of the Fourth Baghdad Internat
» OPEC Secretary General: The end of oil is not on the horizon
» Closing a number of unlicensed offices and companies south of Baghdad
» Repercussions of the bombing...intensive government movements to resume work in the “Kormor” field
» In the presence of Al-Sudani...the opening of the Arab Labor Conference in its 50th session in Baghd
» Al-Sudani: We are working on drawing future visions regarding the “green and digital” economic secto
» Barzani after the Kormor attack: We are ready to coordinate with Baghdad to put an end to these atta
» Al-Sudani directs the formation of an investigative committee into the circumstances of the Kormo fi
» Bismayah is confused about the new electronic portal.. What about the landlord and the subcontracts?
» Kurdistan Government: Loss of 2,500 megawatts of electricity due to targeting the Kormor field
» Crisis in Kurdistan: 12-hour daily power outage and complaints of “confusion”
» The Supreme Anti-Corruption Commission demands Nineveh for the contracts concluded by “Najm Al-Jubou
» Al-Khanjar, Al-Samarrai, and Abu Mazen are hosted by Shaalan Al-Karim to discuss accelerating the se
» Iraq asks the countries of the world to respond to its requests to extradite wanted persons: We have
» “It is coming soon.” The Sudanese advisor sets the date for the referral of the Baghdad metro and th
» Al-Mubarqa: Iraq reserves its full right to respond to the Australian behavior
» Dollar exchange rates on Iraqi stock exchanges... recorded a decline, and this is the list
» Mr. Al-Sadr supports the position of American university students
» Iraqis are ranked 7th in the Arab world on the list of those most seeking immigration to America. He
» The UAE company ADNOC resorts to Iraqi oil. Find out the reasons
» Soon.. 3 new hospitals will open in Baghdad
» Sponsored by Al-Sudani...the opening of the Arab Labor Conference in its fiftieth session in Baghdad
» Al-Shammari chairs a meeting at the controlling headquarters to review the results of the security o
» Arab Labor Organization: We commend Iraq's interest in the Arab Labor Conference
» Al-Sudani: The development road project will provide many job opportunities
» utube MM&C 4/26/24 Iraqi Dinar - US Treasury Exchange Rates- Focus - Banking Partnerships - Rate C
» Sudanese advisor criticizes Kuwaiti analyzes regarding the development road project
» Al-Mandalawi stresses the need to strengthen economic and trade cooperation between Iraq and Poland
» Power maneuvers: America provides defensive weapons to Kurdistan in exchange for withholding from Ba
» Kuwait is drilling an oil well near Umm Qasr, towards Iraqi territory
» In the document... the first Iraqi ministry identifies the obstacles to changing the new official wo
» Italian Institute: Iraq is stuck in its own crises, including Baghdad’s efforts to undermine the “au
» The head of the Integrity Commission announces the holding of an international Interpol conference i
» Planning: Iraqi companies are not efficient in conducting the population census
» utube MM&C 4/24/24 Support - USA- Turkey - Timing- Currency Value - Tabled
» MM&C 4/25/24 National Bank of Iraq goes live with Temenos core banking and payments
» A banking official indicates a "danger" to Iraq by depriving more than half of its banks of dollars
» With the participation of the Association of Private Banks, investment opportunities are on the tabl
» Within a month... an Iranian border crossing recorded a noticeable increase in exports of goods to I
» The Association of Private Banks appreciates the efforts of the government and the Central Bank to c
» Al-Maliki's coalition presents a third candidate for the position of governor of Diyala
» Arab gathering: The Kirkuk problem is getting complicated and the Sudanese must intervene
» Next week.. a Kurdish delegation will visit Baghdad to meet with the Minister of Finance
» Under the pretext of salaries... Al-Party refrains from handing over port revenues to Baghdad
» Association of Banks: For the first time, we are witnessing a clear targeting of depriving half of t
» Parliament does not know the reason for the delay in sending the 2024 budget schedules: Voting takes
» Applicants for the 2024 Hajj are demanding that the Central Bank secure the dollar for them through
» Governmental and private banks will showcase their services tomorrow during Financial Inclusion Week
» Iraq's oil exports rise despite OPEC+ cuts
» A study explodes a "surprise"... Iraq is among the countries that export oil to "Israel": How is the
» Al-Araji emphasizes working to strengthen national identity
» Al-Sudani visits Saudi Arabia to participate in the World Economic Forum in Riyadh
» Iraq is talking about producing one million additional liters of gasoline
» The Council of Ministers approves the implementation of the Baghdad Metro project
» Minister of Commerce: We formed a joint economic committee with Türkiye
» Resources: Government measures have contributed to improving the water situation in Iraq
» Parliamentary Finance: Baghdad will continue to send salaries to the region’s employees until settle
» A parliamentarian describes the corruption of Iraqi ports as “ghouls” and reveals the involvement of
» Obelisk Hour: Basra is the subject of political conflict and ambiguity over the fate of the funds al
» Turkmen leader: An agreement on the local government of Kirkuk is near
» Anbar calls for the operation of its factories despite financial obstacles
» Turki: The crisis of the Presidency of Parliament prompted the Sunnis to amend the Council’s interna
» The Agriculture Committee confirms the existence of Iraqi-Turkish-Iranian discussions on water
» Resources diagnose the challenges facing the water file in Iraq
» Parliament pledges to the Interior Ministry: We will transfer money to buy weapons from citizens
» Al-Issawi is the closest.. Parliament sets the date for deciding the choice of the new president
» Deputy: Iraq's investments have risen and need a comprehensive review of previous years
» Iraqis consume 7 billion eggs annually and import about $900 million
» The Iranian role complicates attempts at open cooperation between Iraq and Turkey. Turkey is trying
» Move in Iran to obtain $242 billion from Iraq in compensation for the eight-year war
» 12 decisions from the Council of Ministers regarding the Baghdad Metro and Najaf-Karbala train proje
» Sudanese Advisor: The path to development has begun... the Baka and the militias “we silence them wi
» Not from Kurdistan.. How did Iraq become a source of oil for “Israeli tanks”?
» Parliamentary Agriculture criticizes the Sudanese and Erdogan agreement: Türkiye will control water
» The Iraqi government issues new decisions
» The story of “reduced oil” to Jordan, from “compulsion” to mutual benefit.. Is there a loss?
» The Council of Ministers takes 12 decisions for the Baghdad Metro and the Najaf-Karbala train
» utube MM&C 4/23/24 Iraqi Dinar - IQD Update - Development Road Project - Saviour of Global Banking
» Kidney from pig transplanted into deathly ill New Jersey woman — and begins working almost immediat
» The most difficult option.. Warnings of the danger of floating the Iraqi dinar without achieving an
» Trade from the “Economic Committee” with Türkiye: It will overcome all obstacles facing the traders
» Washington's hope for stable relations with Baghdad clashes with Iraqi parties' rejection of the Ame
» Karim Badr: Development is America’s will to kill silk
» Oil: Opening of a new port for liquid gas for vehicles in Baghdad
» A media advisor warns of corruption in a draft law on the Parliament’s agenda
» Economist: There is serious work to lift US sanctions on Iraqi banks
» Will the agreements signed with the US Treasury reflect positively on the exchange rates?
» Iraq continues its quest to join the World Trade Organization
» Iraq completes the completion of the files for the initial offer of goods and services to join the W
» Economist: Travelers' dollars are leaking into the parallel market...and this is what the Central Ba
» President of the Federal Court: It is not permissible to force anyone to join any party, and the pol
» The Council of Ministers holds its session headed by Al-Sudani
» America weakens Baghdad...and increases Kurdistan's military capabilities