1. Dr. Maria Chr. Alvanou Criminologist-Terrorism Expert Rome 20/10/2016
Cyber warfare and cyber terrorism: Differences from a European perspective
Dr. Maria Chr. Alvanou Criminologist-Terrorism Expert
Rome 20/10/2016

2. The danger of cyber war and cyber terrorism
Digital revolution and technology evolution
Civilian (private/individual and public) as well as military life depend on digital infrastructure and computer technology
New type of battlefield for war and a new type of scene for terrorism
Cyber war and Cyber terrorism: war and terror activity via Internet and information systems

3. Differences between cyber warfare and cyber terrorism (I)
1. Crime-Security vs. War-Defense
Terrorism in European legislation as a criminal activity (cybercrime)
Basic Legal texts: European Council Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism and its Additional Protocol, the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime and its Additional Protocol, the 2005 Framework Decision on attacks against information systems
Responsibility of law enforcement agencies and the justice system
Challenges: Difficulties in prosecution, debates on legal definitions, jurisdiction conflicts, extradition petitions, etc.
Cyber terrorism: high-tech and without physical boundaries #the legal response: slow and with obstacles
Cyber war a military matter in the context of defense policy
Laws of armed conflict, the Geneva and Hague Conventions are a different category than domestic laws regarding crime
Restrictions of fighting crime don’t apply
Cooperation between military authorities of different countries problematic

4. Differences between cyber warfare and cyber terrorism (II)
2. The person behind the attack: terrorist or warrior?
War: the personality of the individual soldier is irrelevant
“Cyber warrior” expresses the will of a nation-state and its military policy, acts according to its orders and not to his own plan.
Cyber-defense: interest about the state’s policy and strategy, the “warrior” is irrelevant to the defense analysis.
Cyber terrorism: The individual perpetrator matters
“Cyber terrorist”: Recruited in his own will and he acts upon his will and dedication to the organization, to his ideology, etc., can tell us a lot about his actions and the terrorist organization
The personality and background of the cyber terrorist can prove crucial to the operation and affect it
Radicalization and recruitment.

5. Differences between cyber warfare and cyber terrorism (III)
3. EU and NATO
EU: cyber terrorism is a law enforcement matter in the context of security
EU cooperation
Cyber war and cyber defence not been really addressed as part of a common EU level defense cooperation
NATO deals with cyber-defense/military issues
EU level: still military defense is more a matter for each state
Issues of sovereignty in defense and military cooperation can not function

6. Differences between cyber warfare and cyber terrorism (IV)
4. E-propaganda: different target group, different methods
Large part of terrorist activity and communication on the web
Terror internet propaganda: a part of terror work that openly manifests in internet
The public face of terror, essential for a terror organization to radicalize and recruit
Constant presence of terrorist on the web
Jihadi websites operating, several e-social media that are platforms for terrorist rhetoric, communication and recruitment
Presence on the web constitutes itself a crime as "public provocation to commit a terrorist offence" (distribution, or otherwise making available, of a message to the public, with the intent to incite the commission of a terrorist offence, where such conduct, whether or not directly advocating terrorist offences, causes a danger that one or more such offences may be committed) is punishable
Cyber warfare: the public online propaganda exists mostly in times of conflict, works like any type of propaganda during war
Aim: mainly to demoralize the enemy (psychological operations), to inform civilians in order to avoid crimes of war, attacking non combatants and collateral damage, plus to justify operations
Type of military PR

7. Transitional and hybrid times regarding war and terror
Very “primitive”, simple ways of fighting and terrorist techniques that result in death, injury and destruction
Highly developed technology
We do not know how terror organizations will continue operationally their activity
Islamic State functions both in the framework of war and terrorism, with the second activity having a clear international character
Conclusions from both law enforcement and military approaches about good practices, information exchange, incident response, risk assessment
The safety of European citizens is a matter of both security and defense