Re: Cyber terrorism not real: Gartner

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

Forwarded from: GertJan Hagenaars <isn () hagenaars com>

Apparently, InfoSec News wrote:
% Forwarded from: Fredrich P. Maney <maney () maney org>
% 
% InfoSec News wrote:
% 
% > http://www.zdnet.com.au/newstech/security/story/0,2000048600,20280859,00.htm
% > 
% > The director, Rich Mogull, told journalists 
% > 
% > "The goal of terrorism is to change society through the use of force 
% > or violence, resulting in fear," he explained.
% 
% That's just bunk.
% 
% The goal of terrorism is to bring attention to their cause, thereby
% causing some people to change their own personal beliefs and
% convictions to those of the terrorists and to eventually bring about
% societal change because of that shift in mores.

You are largely correct.

I would say that "PR for the cause" is not the goal either.  The end
goal is either a specific gain via extortion (release of "political
prisoners", money or goods in exchange for not performing a particular
act of terror), or a specific gain based on belief (causing great
discomfort, including death, to those who are the embodiment of evil
and be rewarded in the afterlife because of that).  Oh, and we are
collectively the embodiment of evil.

The fact that privacy laws are ignored and essential freedom and
liberties are squashed, in effect offering every individual up to the
"common good" (which is neither common, nor good), as has happened
since 9/11, is something the terrorists appreciate (and smile upon),
but it's not their goal.

I would argue that they're not interested in "society change", they're
interested in "society destruction".

% The only reason that force, violence and fear are the main (or at
% least the most often observed) tools of terrorists is they are
% cheaper, quicker and more effective than the peaceful, non-violence of
% Civil Disobedience and the Legal System.

Terror is, by definition, not peaceful action.

Although I agree that most of the Legal System in the Western world is
the closest we get to terrorism (and the actions of lawyers are
remarkably close to the definitions that you give).  And I don't find
that even remotely funny.

CHeers,
GertJan.

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