ISIS Assault on Social Media

As I mentioned in the previous post, ISIS is using social media as a way to spread their influences and recruit. This is something that is increasing if anything rather than decreasing. If you look hard enough on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc., you will most likely be able to find a page or a number of supportive posts that are represented by the Islamic State itself.  There you will be able to find reactions to recent events from the militants, teachings, etc.

However, ISIS is now using social media in a new dynamic according to Adm. Mike Rogers, director of the National Security Agency.  The Islamic State is now using social media as a way to display its cyber capabilities as a weapons system rather than simply for recruiting and ideology spreading.  As you can imagine, this has been a “great concern” for the NSA.

twitter-isisVia InfoWar

In a recent post by the Islamic State, the group posted a chilling message.  “Pentagon networks hacked. AMERICAN SOLDIERS WE ARE COMING, WATCH YOUR BACK. ISIS. #CyberCaliphate”  ISIS has been known to tweet out and publicly announce the names and addresses of their targets and in this case, it is U.S. soldiers.  The threat may not be legitimate, but this would not be the first time a death of a ISIS target was rooted from call outs on social media.

The evolution of social media has completely changed the way our society works and has presented a great challenge for our national security.  It is too easy to communicate with people, especially the wrong people.  We can simply find information on someone and follow where they live and what they do on a daily basis.

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