[Infowarrior] - Scepticism over cyber-jihad rumours

[Richard Forno]

Scepticism over cyber-jihad rumours
al-Qaeda (still) can't hack
By John Leyden → More by this author
Published Friday 2nd November 2007 15:56 GMT
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/11/02/cyber_jihad_rumours/

Islamist hackers are reportedly making preparations to launch a cyber-jihad
against Israeli and Western websites beginning on 11 November. Experts are
split over whether to take the attacks seriously or not.

Rumours of the putative attack first surfaced in Israeli intelligence
magazine DEBKAfile earlier this week. It reported that an Islamist website
was calling on true believers to mount an attack on the forces of Western,
Jewish, Israeli, Muslim apostate and Shiite Websites. The rumoured attack
will supposedly focus on 15 websites initially before expanding its reach as
"hundreds of thousands of Islamist hackers" join in.

DEBKAfile has a history of producing edgy stories about the defence and
security landscape from an Israeli perspective that sometimes get it wrong.
In 2003, for example, it reported former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein would
use weapons of mass destruction against US forces, SC Magazine notes.

Nonetheless some experts such as Paul Henry, vice president of
technology-evangelism at Secure Computing, are taking the threat seriously.

Rather than launching the supposed assault without notice and through a
network of compromised machines, the Islamists are reportedly looking to
rally recruits to download a package called Electronic Jihad Version 2.0.
Instructions on how to use the malign version of Seti at Home for would-be
cyber-jihadis will be made available across an impenetrable email network,
the organisers of the effort reportedly claim.

"There are people claiming that the software has been written by a Saudi
national and we don't know how many people have downloaded it," Henry said.
"Today an attack using the tool is limited to only a DDoS attack. It is not
difficult to repel a basic DDoS attack, but if enough users participate, it
will fill your pipe."

Would-be combatants are being instructed that hurling malign packets at the
forces of Zionism and Crusader Imperialism TM is every bit as "honourable"
as taking up arms, DEBKAfile reports.

"Our sources say the instructions come in simple language and are organized
in sections according to target. They offer would-be martyrs, who for one
reason or another are unable to fight in the field, [the chance] to fulfil
their jihad obligations on the Net. These virtual martyrs are assured of the
same thrill and sense of elation as a jihadi on the 'battlefield'," it said.

Whether the thrills in line for "virtual martyrs" involve the fabled 72
virgins is not noted.

DEBKAfile speculates that the attack is a response to Western agencies'
efforts to take down, or otherwise disrupt, the operations of Islamist
websites.

It's not the first time rumours of a forthcoming cyber-jihad have surfaced.
In December 2006, the US Department of Homeland Security warned banks and
infrastructure firm of a possible electronic attack. Nothing happened. The
DHS might argue that the warning caused the attack to be aborted or defences
to be put in place in time.

Security expert Gadi Evron, who studied the recent cyberattacks in Estonia,
is doubtful about danger or even newsworthingness of the supposed attack.

"Even if an attack is planned, it would likely be nothing new," Evron told
IDG. "Cyber-jihad on the level of attacking websites happens every day for
numerous causes by enthusiasts. The content of this warning is doubtful.
There are not hundreds of thousands of infosec workers worldwide, not to
mention working for al-Qaeda." ®

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