• E4J University Module Series: Cybercrime

• Module 14: Hacktivism, Terrorism, Espionage, Disinformation Campaigns and Warfare in Cyberspace

• Introduction and learning outcomes

• Key issues

• • Hacktivism
  • Cyberespionage
  • Cyberterrorism
  • Cyberwarfare
  • Information warfare, disinformation and electoral fraud
  • Responses to cyberinterventions as prescribed by international law
  • Conclusion
  • References

• Exercises

• Possible class structure

• Core reading

• Advanced reading

• Student assessment

• Additional teaching tools

•  

• First published in June 2019
  

•  

 

  This module is a resource for lecturers  

 

Additional teaching tools

 

Case Studies

• Ignalina nuclear power plant (1992)
• Davis-Besse nuclear power plant (2003).
• Browns Ferry nuclear power plant (2006).
• Hatch nuclear power plant (2008)
• Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co. commercial network (2014)
• The Gundremmingen Nuclear Power Plant (2016)
• The Monju Nuclear Power Plant (2014)
• Hydrogen Isotope Research Center at the University of Toyama (2015)
• Ukraine's Power Grid Hack (2015)
• The Cyber Attack on Saudi Aramco (2015)

Information about these cases can be found in the following documents:

• Baylon, Caroline, Roger Brunt and David Livingstone. (2015). Cyber Security at Civil Nuclear Facilities: Understanding the Risks. Chatham House Report. 
• BBC News. (2017). Ukraine power cut "was cyber-attack".
• E-ISAC. (2016). TLP: White Analysis of the Cyber Attack on the Ukrainian Power Grid Defense Use Case.  
• Groll, Elias. (2017). Cyberattack Targets Safety System at Saudi Aramco. Foreign Policy, 21 December 2017. 
• Gu, Lion, Vladimir Kropotov, and Fyodor Yarochkin. (2018). The Fake News Machine How Propagandists Abuse the Internet and Manipulate the Public.  
• INFOSEC. (2016). Cyber-attacks Against Nuclear Plants: A Disconcerting Threat.  
• Kesler, Brent. (2017). The Vulnerability of Nuclear Facilities to Cyber Attack. 
• McCurry, Justin. (2014). South Korean nuclear operator hacked amid cyber-attack fears. The Guardian, 23 December 2014. 
• NTI. References for Cyber Incidents at Nuclear Facilities.
• Seals, Tara. (2016). Nation-State Hackers Hit Japanese Nuclear Facility. Info Security. 
• Shalal, Andrea. (2016). IAEA chief: Nuclear power plant was disrupted by cyber attack. Reuters, 10 October 2016. 

 

Websites

• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's Cyber Norms Index.

• NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence.
• I Am The Cavalry. 

 

Videos

• Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Wannacry Ransomware (length 1:45).  » This video provides a brief overview of the Wannacry Ransomware.
• Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University.  Insider Threat (length 1:48).  » This video provides a brief introduction of the insider threat.
• Centre for Strategic & International Studies. Countering Disinformation: Interdisciplinary Lessons for Policymakers (length 1:38:27).  » This video covers a panel discussion on disinformation hosted by the Centre for Strategic & International Studies on disinformation.
• France 24 English. "You're fake news:" Propaganda and disinformation in the digital age (length 45:33).  » Experts hosted by France 24 debate fake news in the digital age, cover the techniques individuals can use to detect fake news, and critically examine the measures used to counter fake news.  
• International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence (ICSR). What is cyberterrorism? (length 7:03).  » Dr. Thomas Rid discusses what cyberterrorism is.
• Center for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI), UK. Be savvy about the social engineer (length 2:05).  » Brief animated video on social engineering.
• Center for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI), UK. Deter Detect Delay Detain (length 1:42).  » Brief video describes how to respond to a cybercrime, using the four D's of response (deter, detect, delay and detain).
• Center for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI), UK. Insider Incident - Fraud (length 1:02).  » Brief animated video on insider threats, particularly insiders committing fraud.
• Center for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI), UK. Insider Incident - IP Theft (length 1:10).  » Brief animated video on insider threats, particularly insiders committing intellectual property crime.
• Center for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI), UK. Insider Incident - System Sabotage (length 1:05).  » Brief animated video on insider threats, particularly insiders sabotaging systems.
• Center for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI), UK. Phishing and Spear Phishing (length 2:45).  » Brief animated video on phishing and spearphishing.
• Cisco Annual Security Report 2014. Watering Hole Attacks (length 2:46).  » CISCO expert discusses watering hole attacks and the techniques used by perpetrators to commit these attacks.

 

Back to top