Increasingly, terrorists are using open communication channels to plot their attacks. It's a case of hiding in plain sight, as encrypted messages on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram can be viewed by anyone. These developments are a matter of grave concern for all countries attempting to counter terrorist attacks. In some cases, terrorists use video game systems to communicate, with Belgian forces reporting they found a PlayStation 4 in one of the buildings that was raided recently. A Belgian official stated that ISIS terrorists used the console to communicate because it's so difficult to monitor.
In addition, the White House is planning to meet major Silicon Valley companies to see how best to restrict the use of social media for promoting or planning violence. US President Barack Obama has stated publicly that the technology sector needs to collaborate more closely with law enforcement agencies when messages posted on online platforms cross the line from expressing an opinion into active terrorist plotting.
Peter Tran, Senior Director of cyber defence security firm RSA Intelligence, says: "We must look at security differently, with an eye towards analytics, to get the visibility needed to help stop these types of threats. Terrorists are communicating on open channels that anyone can find and see, so we should not be focusing solely on attempting to gain access to encrypted channels. With terrorists using social media outlets, the information is right under our noses!"
As most of the terrorists who are active today grew up with social network platforms, it's a simple matter of using the method with which they are most familiar.
"As a result, it's really important to shift beyond the myopic view of accessing consoles and encrypted messages," Tran says. "It's way beyond that, where the Internet is being used as a larger medium of communication for ISIS, not only for spreading their ideology, but to leverage scale and speed over social media: Facebook, Twitter, SnapChat, Instagram. We should shift our thinking and our approach to encompass the sheer scale by which they can spread and plan on open channels."
According to Tran, security investigators can recognise patterns by analysing profiles and relationships across broader social channels. Security experts like RSA are moving in that direction to look at non-traditional, non-obvious criminal underground activity or 'dark Webs' that are leveraging the Internet.
"The criminal underground has been using non-traditional online alternative communication channels and platforms for years," he points out. "It's been a long-standing challenge for government and law enforcement, and now we are seeing the clear convergence of physical and cyber security issues globally. A careful, measured approach over the long term is needed, as is focusing on proactive analysis of cyber social channels and non-obvious online funding sources.
"A fundamental shift in focus is required. The technology's there, we need to shift our approach and our execution with a certain amount of exigency to counter these threats."
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