Online Library

In an effort to better understand the risk of individuals being radicalised via the internet, this paper re-examines the phenomenon of online radicalisation by focusing on four considerations of interest: individual, online environment, interactions between individual and the online environment, and protective elements. A key premise of the discussion presented is that the different theoretical assumptions and linkages underlying each consideration are not only reconcilable but that together they provide a more comprehensive understanding of assessing risk of radicalisation via the internet than any perspective by itself. Implications for operationalising these four considerations and their associated factors to identify individuals at risk of being radicalised via the internet will also be discussed.

In an effort to better understand the risk of individuals being radicalised via the internet, this paper re-examines the phenomenon of online radicalisation by focusing on four considerations of interest: individual, online environment, interactions between individual and the online environment, and protective elements. A key premise of the discussion presented is that the different theoretical assumptions and linkages underlying each consideration are not only reconcilable but that together they provide a more comprehensive understanding of assessing risk of radicalisation via the internet than any perspective by itself. Implications for operationalising these four considerations and their associated factors to identify individuals at risk of being radicalised via the internet will also be discussed.

Previous research has documented that the internet plays an increasingly important role in facilitating involvement in terrorism. However, the level of specificity of this literature is low. Advancing current insights, we examined how three concrete examples of active (i.e., generate/disseminate terrorist propaganda; interact with co-ideologues) and two examples of passive (i.e., learn about terrorist ideologies/actors; learn tactical information) internet use are related to distinct distal and proximal dynamics of radicalisation. Additionally, we assessed associations between the different types of internet use and the likelihood of having planned/committed a terrorist attack. We analysed a unique dataset based on closed-source risk assessment reports of individuals convicted of terrorism(-related) offences in England and Wales (N = 377). Results of this secondary data analysis pointed to three internet use repertoires: (1) learning about tactical information and terrorist ideologies/actors; (2) only learning about terrorist ideologies/actors; (3) active internet use and learning about terrorist ideologies/actors. Learning about tactical information and terrorist ideologies/actors was (compared to the other two repertoires) associated with a higher likelihood of having planned/committed an act of terrorism. Additionally, levels of capability were higher if individuals learnt both tactical and ideological information online compared to using the internet actively and browsing content about terrorist ideologies/actors. Individuals characterised by either internet use repertoire did, however, not vary significantly regarding their levels of engagement with extremist ideas and actors and the degree to which they had developed an extremist mindset. The results can inform terrorist/violent extremist risk assessment.

This paper examines the ranking of critical assets within an electrical grid under threat of cyber attack. Critical to this analysis is the assumption of zero hour exploits namely, the threat of an immediate attack as soon as a vulnerability is discovered. Modeling shows that over time load fluctuations as well as other system variations will change the importance of each asset in the delivery of bulk power. As opposed to classic stability studies where risk can be shown to be greatest during high load periods, the zero hour exploit-cyber-risk assumes that vulnerabilities will be attacked as soon as they are discovered. The probability of attacks is made uniform over time to include any and all possible attacks. Examining the impact of an attack and how the grid reacts immediately following an attack will identify and determine the criticality of each asset. This work endeavors to fulfill the NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection Requirements CIP-001-1 through CIP-009-2, cyber security requirements for the reliable supply of bulk power to customers throughout North America.

This thesis examined the three core themes: the role of education in cyber security, the role of technology in cyber security, and the role of policy in cyber security, the areas in which the papers are published. The associated works are published in referred journals, peer reviewed book chapters, and conference proceedings. Research can be found in the following outlets: 1. Security Solutions for Hyperconnectivity and the Internet of Things; 2. Developing Next-Generation Countermeasures for Homeland Security Threat Prevention; 3. New Threats and Countermeasures in Digital Crime and Cyber Terrorism; 4. Internatoinal Journal of Business Continuity and Risk Management; 4. Handbook of Research on 3-D Virtual Environments and Hypermedia for Ubiquitous Learning; 6. Information Security in Diverse Computing Environments; 7. Technology, Innovation, and Enterprise Transformation; 8. Journal of Information Systems Technology and Planning; 9. Encylopedia of Information Science and Technology. The shortcomings and gaps in cyber security research is the research focus on hyperconnectivity of people and technology to include the policies that provide the standards for security hardened systems. Prior research on cyber and homeland security reviewed the three core themes separately rather than jointly. This study examined the research gaps within cyber security as it relates to core t hemes in an effort to develop stronger policies, education programs, and hardened technologies for cyber security use. This work illustrates how cyber security can be broken into these three core areas and used together to address issues such as developing training environments for teaching real cyber security events. It will further show the correlations between technologies and policies for system Certification & Accreditation (C & A). Finally, it will offer insights on  how cybersecurity can be used to maintain security for international and national security. The overall results of the study provide guidance on how to create an ubiquitous learning (U-Learning) environment to teach cyber security concepts, craft policies that affect computing, and examines the effects on national and international security. The overall research has been improving the role of cyber security in education, technology, and policy.

What explains the rise and fall of far-right Islamist protest mobilization in contemporary Indonesia? The 2016-2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election witnessed significant growth in support for and mobilization of the far-right. While far-right Islamist mobilization has occurred regularly since the fall of the authoritarian Suharto regime in 1998, its longevity and impact on electoral politics has historically been limited. I maintain that the 2016 far-right Islamist protest mobilization was enabled and disabled by the dynamic relationship between hybrid media and hybrid movement strategies. Hybrid thinking serves as a platform for understanding the increasingly diverse and complex nature of Islamist mobilization, generating new ways of exploring some of the classic concerns of social movement studies and technology. Moreover, previous research on the far-right primarily focuses on electoral and party politics, while studies on social movements and technologies often fall into technological determinism, providing only a limited understanding of one of the most pressing issues of our time. This study proposes an innovative analytic strategy to understand the complexity of contemporary Islamist protest mobilization, creating a hybrid movement that effectively spans different movements, constituencies, and institutions, all coexisting within a hybrid media environment that deftly merges elements of old and newer media logics to influence participation, collaboration, and coordination in the spheres of social movements and protest politics.