Cyber Crime and Cyber Terrorism

25
 
Emerging threats
an open platform; see for instance the Wyplay developments, making the TV 
the heart of multi-media, gaming and other new digital services. Obviously, 
there is not yet a clear concern about the cyber security threats of the digital 
TV until it will be too late.
 2.
Modern living: Domotics (domestic robots) will take off soon. An increasing 
number of early adopters currently monitor and change temperature settings in 
their home or office remotely from their smart phone. This is just a first step 
in the remote management of the home. No one discusses the cyber security 
threats related to these functions.
 3.
Health sector: An increasing number of ICT-based systems are used to 
monitor the health of persons. Pacemakers and insulin pumps already have 
been hacked through their wireless interface. The designers did not take 
into account that hackers might be interested in manipulating such small 
systems. The wrong settings, however, may have a life-threatening effect 
(
Stigherrian, 2011
).
 4.
Soon, devices which monitor persons with a health problem on a 24/7 basis 
will be connected to the global grid with mobile and wireless technologies. 
If functionality goes first, manipulated data may cause all such patients 
automatically be phoned to report immediately at the hospital, or may cause 
wrong levels of medicines to be prescribed to patients.
 5.
Health monitoring and other medical equipment in hospitals is increasingly 
connected to the hospitals’ core network. As the protection of such networks 
may be weak for reasons discussed above, patients may be at risk. Impossible? 
In the Netherlands, a health monitoring system in a hospital emergency room 
was found to be a member of the Kazaa music sharing network. Thinking 
about cyber security seems to be discouraged near medical equipment. Is that 
because the cyber threat raises one’s pulse rate beyond healthy limits? Actually 
it is the unconsciously insecure phenomenon again.
 6.
Financial sector: Near Field Communication (NFC) chips provide a new form of 
identification and authentication for the holder of a smart phone. This forms the 
basis for contactless micro payments. It can be expected that cybercrime will take 
advance of the payment function by remote manipulation of the smart phone.
 7.
Transport sector: Modern cars and trucks contain an enormous amount of lines 
of code in its increasing number of electronic control units (ECU). According 
to 
TRB (2012)
, they are literally “computers on wheels.” The code modules 
monitor an increasing number of sensors and control and activate many 
actuators from brakes to windscreen wipers, from lights to collision avoidance 
systems. As many manufacturers develop modules, the interfaces between 
them need to be open. They presume a benign closed environment without 
hackers. However, if not already in your current car, network interfaces with 
public networks soon will provide automatic emergency call services such 
as Assist™ and eCall. Other services will follow which means that mobile 
data and mobile internet interfaces will open the car platform for two-way 
communication. Cybercrime will follow in due time.

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