Ransomware attack on national data center called an act of cyber terrorism

TRIBUNNEWS.COM, Jakarta – Ransomware attacks National Data Center Meanwhile, the (PDNS) in Surabaya is said to be listed as an operation terrorism network.

“Ransomware-type cyberattacks are one of the main attack methods terrorism “In cyber, attackers can simultaneously achieve terrorist goals and economic gains through a single action,” MS Manggaany, deputy head of Indonesia’s Internet and Infrastructure Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT.ID), wrote on Sunday (July 7, 2023).

Manggaany explained that according to Presidential Regulation No. 82 of 2022 on the Protection of Critical Information Infrastructure, Distributed Domain Name System 2 Included in the definition of critical infrastructure.

This is because Distributed Domain Name System 2 is filled with thousands of applications for public services intended for the public good, organized by 282 government agencies, including ministries, agencies, and local governments.

According to Mangalani’s definition terrorism Cybercrime is different from cyber crime, which remains evolving and dynamic with changes in motivations, methods, target types, and impacts of various cyber attacks.

However, terrorism Cyberspace must meet at least six elements (actors, motivations, goals, means, impacts and victims), namely: First, actors, including both actors that are not supported by state initiatives (non-state actors) and actors that are supported by states and can be regarded as declarations of war (cyber warfare), as well as actors affiliated with separatist groups.

The second element is motivation, whether ideological, social, economic or political.

“Usually the motivation is a combination of interests, because in many cases, cyber attacks are carried out for a reason. terrorism“It’s being carried out by professional groups with the usual cybercrime economic motivations and objectives,” he said.

The third element is the goal, whether the goal is to use it as a movement tool to impose change, certain beliefs/ideological demands, and to destroy as a tool to achieve certain motives.

The fourth element is means in the form of cyber threats, cyber attacks, and cyber propaganda.

The fifth element is the impact that the attacking group expects in the form of cyber power and cyber violence, which can take the form of disruption of public digital services, data breaches, financial losses, psychological threats of fear, uncertainty and suspicion, and even physical damage.

In closing, Mangani said the victims are civil society groups, the private sector, industries, organizations, governmental and non-governmental, digital and physical infrastructure providers.

Mangalani said that if the government wants to classify cyber attacks as acts of terrorism, it must clarify the motives of cyber attacks, that is, reveal whether there are ideological or political and economic interests at the same time.

Also read: Understanding the cyber gang Lockbit, which used ransomware to attack Indonesian PDN, and how it operates

“Ramsomware-type cyber attacks are one of the main attack methods terrorism The attacker can achieve both terrorist objectives and economic benefits through a single operation. In addition, ransomware attacks are technically Distributed Domain Name System 2 All element criteria met terrorism network,” he said.