Cyber Warfare

As US Drops “Cyber Bombs,” ISIS Retools Its Own Cyber Army

Merger of ISIS-affiliated hacking teams an attempt to build credible threat

Sean Gallagher | April 28, 2016

The Islamic State has been deft in its use of the Internet as a communications tool. ISIS has long leveraged social media to spread propaganda and even coordinate targets for attacks, using an ever-shifting collection of social media accounts for recruitment and even to call for attacks on individuals ISIS leaders have designated as enemies. But the organization's efforts to build a sophisticated internal “cyber army” to conduct information warfare against the US and other powers opposing it have thus far been fragmented and limited in their effectiveness—and more often than not they've been more propaganda than substance.

"Anonymous declares cyber war on Turkey over ‘supporting ISIS’ ". Source: https://www.rt.com/news/326853-anonymous-war-turkey-isis/

<more at http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/04/as-us-drops-cyber-bombs-isis-retools-its-own-cyber-army/; related articles and links: https://www.flashpoint-intel.com/news/flashpoint-issues-new-report-demonstrating-advancement-of-isis-organized-cyber-capabilities/ (Flashpoint Issues New Report Demonstrating Advancement of ISIS’s Organized Cyber Capabilities. april 28, 2016) and http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/11/telegram-encrypted-messaging-service-cracks-down-on-isis-broadcasts/ (Telegram encrypted messaging service cracks down on ISIS broadcasts. 78 "ISIS-related channels" in 12 languages blocked after Paris attack. November 18, 2015)>