cyberterrorism

A blanket term for any criminal attempt to disrupt computer or telecommunications services. With the majority of the world digitally connected, there is a large vulnerability to attack. Hackers, for example, are able to spread a virus or launch a denial of service (DoS) attack with relative ease and anonymity. The ripple effect of bringing down a system in Mountain View, California, can cause ramifications in Munich, for example. High-tech security to ward off cyberterrorism is a growing business.