Hacking for the Caliphate
by MSG Miguel Angel Sibon ( ESP ) LANDCOM G-2
The DAESH has grown its media machine , global support , and online channels . This expansion has now come to include capabilities to inflict damage over the Internet , which came to light when its supporters began coordinating and organizing cyber attacks on Western targets . Highlighting this new found desire to cause virtual harm was the brief 2014 takeover of Twitter accounts . But what are the real DAESH capabilities to carry out major cyber attacks ? Let ’ s have a look to information available on Open Sources .
Introduction At a meeting held in Hannover ,
Germany , in the spring of 2016 , US former-
President Barack Obama discussed with other leaders about the cyber strategy to contrast the DAESH online . US and many other countries have then mapped cyber incidents and reported plans to counter cyber attacks .
In the wake of the aforementioned Twitter takeover , which was claimed by an IS-supporter hacking collective called the “ Cyber Caliphate ,” two implications that would prove jihadi landscape unfolded .
Firstly , DAESH hacking attacks generated increased publicity .
Secondly , |
like-minded |
individuals |
and groups found new ways to target |
Western interests . As such , new concerns |
regarding |
DAESH ’ s |
cyber |
capabilities |
emerged . |
|
|
|
Cyber Caliphate After taking over vast swaths of Iraq and Syria , DAESH declared itself a state in June 2014 , with Raqqa , Syria , as its capital . While many of its fighters were proudly displaying captured heavy equipment and weaponry on the battlefield , the new " caliphate " attracted others with soft skills that have arguably been more beneficial in the years since . DAESH is the first terrorist group that even had a hacking wing , which was launched in late 2014 by Junaid Hussain , known by his hacker name , “ Trick ”.
The DAESH hacking group was disorganized since its foundation and suffered from conflicting messaging and often uncoordinated actions among five different hacking groups .
Interestingly , DAESH merged its disparate hacking groups into one called " United Cyber Caliphate " ( UCC ) in April
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