Cyberterrorism as a Real Threat to the National Security of the Russian Federation

Abstract

Introduction. The rapid change of the real-world situation is affecting our lives at a global scale and at the time of Russia carrying out the special military operation in Donbass the issues of terrorism of any kind are becoming acute. Since the Cold War times our country has not confronted such a hard-line challenge inspired by the unlawful ideology. The cybersecurity challenges and threats have reached such a scale that from the beginning of the 21st century the discussions about the cybercrimes, information warfare and information terrorism have started in the Russian legal field. In this regard, there arises the need for a comprehensive and consistent study of the structural organisation of the today criminal terrorist cyberspace communities. This will enable determining the disseminating potential of the ideological propaganda via Internet (the information and communication network), revealing the scheme of financing the cyber attacks on the critical infrastructural state facilities, and studying the methods and technologies of executing the terrorist offences in cyberspace. The research on cyberterrorism is relevant due to the widespread implementation of the information technologies into the national economy and the state administration authorities’ activities, vulnerability of the software and hardware to cyber threats, development of the international hacker network, and the improved level of organisation of the modern terrorist communities. The aim of the research is to form understanding about cyberterrorism, identify the reasons and determine the specifics of the modern terrorism-oriented cybercrimes in the context of transition to the polycentric world order.Materials and methods. The objects of the research are cyberterrorism and social relations arising from the establishment and enforcement of the cyberterrorism countermeasures in the frame of the criminal law. When conducting the study, the dialectical method of cognition was used as the main one, the general scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, as well as specific juridical methods, i.e. empirical (generalisation of judicial practice, criminal-statistical) and legalistic methods were applied.Results. The current state of cyberterrorism and its place in the structure of the terrorist offences encroaching on the national security of the Russian Federation have been analysed. The provisions of the cyberterrorism countering regulatory documents have been studied. Substantiated conclusions about the reasons for the emergence and dissemination of the terrorist offences in cyberspace have been made.Discussion and Conclusion. The conclusions drawn as a result of the research aim to supplement and expand the scientific knowledge about the essence of cyberterrorism, the reasons for its emergence and functioning in the modern geopolitical conditions, cyberterrorism legal regulation in the frame of the criminal law, as well as to serve the platform for further scientific research in this field.