O ciberterrorismo como tática de guerra no séc. XXI

: o papel das organizações internacionais na prevenção e proteção desta ameaça

Abstract

At the beginning of the millennium, the terrorist attacks of 2001 required International Organizations such as the EU (European Union) and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) to adapt to a security threat that created a new reality in international relations, the terrorism of an Islamic fundamentalist nature. With the process of globalization and the growing technological evolution, a path was traced that made terrorism convert to cyberspace: cyberterrorism. It is a natural extension of terrorism, but it has no face. A silent danger that is at the origin of many threats to the internal security of each State and to human security, which depends on technology for its proper functioning. Considering the era we live in, it becomes increasingly appealing to cause damage through remote and often undetectable technological control that cyberspace allows. In this investigation, it is intended to analyze how cyberterrorism can be considered as a war tactic in the 21st century and how it has evolved over time. Historical milestones such as the cyberattacks in Estonia in 2007, in Georgia in 2008 and in Iran in 2010 will be analyzed in order to understand how these events aroused the urgency to develop protection measures by the International Organizations and also by the States. The chronological evolution of the EU and NATO cybersecurity and cyberdefense
strategies will be examined in order to identify how the case studies served as an impetus for the development of a defense policy framework capable of protection States from current cyber threats. In this sequence, it is intended to verify the importance of the work performed by these organizations in the prevention and protection against cyberterrorism. This work also intends to provide recommendations that reflect the actions that must be taken, both internationally and nationally, to reinforce and improve cybersecurity.

Date of Award	22 Mar 2023
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Raquel Duque (Supervisor)