CYBER TERRORISM ATTACK OF THE CONTEMPORARY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGE: ISSUES, CONSEQUENCES AND PANACEA?

It is crystal clear that there has been systematic transformation of human activities and societies since the advent of information?s technologies (IT). However, this information Technology that ought to be of enormous advantage without any fear in its usage by people has been hijacked by the world terrorists to lunch many attacks via cyberspace (internet).Cyber terrorism has been one of the social ideological menaces that have great challenges to the contemporary society all over the world. However, the emergence of this cyber terrorism has the potentials to vitiate the positive uses of information technology if not properly and promptly addressed. It is in the light of this that this study critically explores contemporary literatures of this topical issue of information technology aided terrorism (cyber terrorism). The study presents the semantic interpretations of cyber terrorism, the components of cyber terrorism, the motivating factors of cyber terrorism, the various cyber terrorism techniques usually adopted by the perpetrators (terrorists), and the consequences of such a prevalence cyber attack. The study equally suggests the possible panaceas to tackle the problem of cyber terrorism so as to maximize the benefits attached to information technology (IT) and minimize the evil posed by the terrorists.