Page 89 - Cyber Terrorism and Extremism as Threat to Critical Infrastructure Protection

KADRI ARIFI: ADDRESSING CHALLENGES FROM CYBER TERRORISM IN KOSOVO

5 Challenges and Recommendations

Critical information infrastructure is becoming the target of increasingly complex cyber-at-
tacks more frequently. Such attacks are specifically aimed at particular targets by terrorists
and hackers looking for sensitive information, or with the aim of destroying this critical in-
formation infrastructure. “There are certain types of cyberattack that might create the kind of
dramatic effects that terrorists desire. For example, shutting off the supply of electricity to a
major city or taking down the air traffic control system would likely generate fear, especially
if such demonstrations of control over critical infrastructures were accompanied by credible
threats to conduct additional cyberattacks” (Caldwell and Williams, 2016: p 172). “This be-
comes even more problematic when the technique of terrorism is moved to the cyber realm.
Just as not all acts of fear-inflicted violence are terrorism, not all activities of terrorists in
cyberspace constitute cyberterrorism. Cyberterrorism, like terrorism, is a tactic used by ter-
rorists, and one main element of that tactic is to create fear in a population, something that is
more difficult to accomplish in cyberspace” (Kremling, 2018: p 236).

“Significant growth of internet users in recent years in Kosovo has brought with it increased
danger of computer crime and cyber-attacks. Although so far there have been no cases of
serious penetration and damage to systems with state data, various criminal activities were
enough to highlight the weaknesses of computer networks in Kosovo, which is still consid-
ered in the development stage” (Kosovo National Strategy, 2015: p 12). One of the challenges
that therefore needs to be addressed is the weak and vulnerable computer network in Kosovo,
and so it is recommended that the institutions responsible for cyber security and the fight
against terrorism develop and implement procedures and practices to provide protection to
critical infrastructure. In order to have more efficient treatment of cyber security incidents and
better protection of critical information infrastructure, I believe that institutional mechanisms
should be created for this issue, such as the State Authority for Cyber Security and the creation
of reaction units to cyber incidents (CERT) in state, public and private institutions which pos-
sess critical information infrastructure. It is also recommended that through the strengthening
of CERT national capacities, an effective interaction between institutions both inside and
outside the country should be ensured.

Citizens often fall victim not only to fraud and fake news, but also to the propaganda of ter-
rorist groups on the internet. “Jihadist propaganda on the net is highly dynamic, adaptable,
and professional. In the past years, its quantity and quality have been steadily on the rise, with
increasingly diverse internet material glorifying the militant fight and vilifying certain groups
of people, such as non-Muslims, Jews, Shias, and others” (Frankenberger, 2017: p 67). Even
in Kosovo, the challenge itself is the spread of extremist ideology and the support of terror-
ist groups through the internet, and this of course presents added challenges for the country.
The citizens do not have enough knowledge of the dangers of using the internet, and this is
an indicator that it is necessary to raise the awareness of citizens or internet users. This can be
achieved through various campaigns, conferences, brochures and publications, education and
training, and so on. Also, cooperation with the private sector through public-private partner-
ships should be promoted and strengthened.

One of the most important challenges for Kosovo’s institutions in combating cyber terrorism
is strengthening cyber security. Initially, it is necessary to complete the legal infrastructure,
such as the approval of the Law on Cyber Security, as well as the Law on Public Key Infra-

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