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Why Does This Distinction Matter?
The attack against SPE is a serious issue. It could end up costing the company approximately $100
million according news sources (Richwine, 2014). While financially less impactful than other attacks
Sony has endured over the years, it is still substantial. However, a crime is a crime is a crime, right?
Should we really care about why it was committed or how we classify it so statisticians can sleep
better at night? I believe overusing terms like cyberterrorism is a disservice to the American public.
Every time the media calls something cyberterrorism when it is not, the public gets an incorrect idea
of what the Internet is and what it is not. We, as professionals, need to challenge this incorrect
usage. If we do not, we are guilty of spreading the fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) we lament in
others.
Conclusion
The SPE attack was a major event. It was an attempt to censor a company from performing its
mission through criminal activity and threats of violence. The appropriate authorities should be
investigating the attack and working diligently through the process of attribution and then
prosecution (in whatever form that takes: criminal charges or an international response); I have
confidence that is occurring. My goal is not to minimize the effects of the attack or put forth a new
theory of attribution. Rather, I am interested in making sure we do not mislabel the attack and thus
dilute the very real consequences of cyberterrorism.
References
• Ahmad, R., & Yunos, Z. (2012). A Dynamic Cyber Terrorism Framework. International
Journal of Computer Science and Information Security, 149-158.
• CBS Interactive. (2014, December 23). Was FBI wrong on North Korea? Retrieved from
CBS News: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/did-the-fbi-get-it-wrong-on-north-korea/
• Conway, M. (2002). What is Cyberterrorism? Current History, 436-442.
• Hoffman, B. (2006). Inside Terrorism. New York: Columbia University Press.
• Katersky, A., & Newcomb, A. (2015, January 7). Sony hack: FBI director speaks about
evidence pointing to North Korea. Retrieved from ABC News:
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/sony-hack-fbi-director-speaks-evidence-pointing-
north/story?id=28061831
• Krebs, B. (2014, December 23). The case for N. Korea's role in Sony Hack. Retrieved
from Krebs on Security: http://krebsonsecurity.com/2014/12/the-case-for-n-koreas-role-
in-sony-hack/
• Lang, B. (2014, December 17). Major U.S. theaters drop ‘The Interview’ after Sony
hacker threats. Retrieved from Variety: http://variety.com/2014/film/news/major-u-s-
theaters-drop-the-interview-after-sony-hacker-threats-1201381861/
• Laughland, O., & Rushe, D. (2014, Decembe 19). Sony cyber attack linked to North
Korean government hackers, FBI says. Retrieved from The Guardian:
48 Cyber Warnings E-Magazine – February 2015 Edition
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