Securing the Internet of Things from terrorism

Terrorists use the internet on a 4 R frame - to relate to, recruit, retain, and refer their clandestine network. They use the net to build bonds and networks, and to maintain dangerous relationships. Given a common mission (to disrupt if not destroy the State), they meet and tie together in virtual space platform.  

How do the terrorists use the internet?

• Selling a radical ideology - the web as a medium to propagate.
• Eavesdrop to  enable recruiting followers with an extreme bend of mind.
• Virtually communicate in forms which are accessible to password restricted followers but inaccessible to authorities.
• Deepening relationships through instilling fear within and without and creating the obsession of goal achievement.
• Building protected cyber-forums.
• Instilling hatred for the system.
• Provoking the mind of the potential recruit (may be through a photo, a story, a harping on a series of stories.  call to action).
• Exaltation of terrorism to obsessive levels in the psyche of the potential terrorist.
• ‘Fundamentalizing’ thought from a level of acceptance of the neighbour to a level of abhorrence. 
• Arranging stealth finance. Payment systems are used: funds are moved through electronic wire transfers, credit card or alternate payment facilities.
• Using avenues like crowd funding, e-commerce to solicit funds for the illegal activities.  

  

Criminal activity in finance would include

• identity theft,
• access to account database,
• credit card theft,
• wire fraud,
• stock fraud,
• intellectual property crimes,
• auction fraud, 
• e-gold online payment accounts  
• using commodity markets

Case 1: Younis Tsouli  (2005) built websites and ran web forums for terrorists. He was a distributor of video material for terrorists. He hijacked web sites; ran password-protected forums with large number of members which were used for military instructions. Laundered money was used to fund the registration of nearly 180 websites as also to equip terrorists across several countries. Approximately 1,400 credit cards generated approximately £1.6 million of crime driven money.

Case 2: Tariq Al-Daour (2006)  had 37,000 credit card details on his computer drives. These were obtained through phishing attacks or purchased in on-line forums where stolen information circulates. Gullible people were led to believe that they were verifying their accounts were unwittingly helping the group fund their terrorist activities.

As terrorists connect through cyberspace, IoT raises security issues as never before. Given that the devices are all inter-connected, theft at any one point could have a contagion effect with the criminal having recourse to a huge set of data. Ranging from electronic key to mobiles to identity theft, there are multiple avenues but also immense potential for harm. IoT would enable availability of movements and preferences of consumers,Criminal hackers could track these through a host of inter-connected devices. The security threat implicit in multiple connected devices has to be instilled in the consumer mind-set. In the absence of any IoT regulator, self regulatory standards by independent vendor are essential.

References:-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7191248.stm

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/25/AR2006032500020_2.html

http://www.in.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/The-Internet-of-Things-an-identity-theft-goldmine-for-terrorists-and-criminals/articleshow/46382227.cms

http://techonomy.com/2016/08/27253/

(Excerpts from a forthcoming book by the author)