Book Review on Terrorism in Cyberspace: The Next Generation by Gabriel Weimann, Bruce Hoffman

This book, first published in 2015, has 254 pages of text broken into three parts. The title accurately describes the contents. The first section, entitled “Terrorism Enter Cyberspace”, introduces three research questions the contents expands on. The first question is:

• What are the new faces of online terrorism?

Next is:

• What is expected in the near future? and
• How can the trends be countered?

The next section is called “Emerging Trends” and the third is titled “Future Threats and Challenges”. The advantages to terrorists of the Internet are examined and the groups online from Africa, Asia, Europe, Lartin America, and the Middle East are named. It then breaks down into the areas used by terrorists in cyberspace: psychological warfare, propaganda, online indoctrination, recruitment and mobilisation, data mining, virtual training, cyber training, cyber planning and coordination, and fund raising. Each one of these sections is relevant today, although of course, monitoring of the Internet is much more intense. Hence, it can be used by anti-terrorist authorities as a virtual weapon as well. A real jihad project is outlined, which is an interesting chapter.

Fall 2025

With this latest edition of the JIW, we are closing out 24 years of publishing outstanding information warfare and cybersecurity double-blind peer-reviewed papers. We are excited in 2026 to be celebrating a quarter of a century of excellence as an academic journal.
Moving forward, we are looking to continue to provide a venue where scholars and practitioners can be published in a rapid fashion. We are also excited about our two-decade relationship with the International Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security (ICCWS) which started in 2006 and is going strong. So, thanks to all our current and former authors and reviewers for your support so far and we plan on moving forward to continue to publish outstanding papers in this journal.

Abstract:

This paper presents evidence of algorithmic manipulation in Ohio voter registration databases through a Modulo 8-based deterministic numbering scheme embedded in County ID assignments. This is the third state reviewed in a survey of twelve. Analysis of County ID gap frequency distributions reveals that Franklin, Lucas, and Montgomery counties employ sophisticated mathematical structures in ID number assignment that is absent in Ohio’s other 85 counties. The structures manifest in cyclical Modulo-8 patterns in gap frequency distributions, forming precise mathematical relationships that cannot result from standard operations. This implementation exemplifies what information warfare doctrine defines as a ‘subliminal channel’—a steganographic mechanism enabling hidden communication within critical electoral infrastructure. Such capabilities could permit targeted manipulation of voter records without detection, representing a significant vulnerability in democratic systems.

Abstract:

Critical Space Systems Infrastructure (CSSI) are information-intensive system of systems (SoS) that support the ability to communicate, detect, track, identify, and characterize space objects from multiple sources. Whilst reliance on these systems has intensified, nation states and non-state actors alike are targeting these capabilities. This paper explores the efficacy of an ontological metamodel to support continuous cyber assurance, which considers the complexity of interactions and interfaces between people, software, firmware, and hardware elements. The metamodel aims to support the assessment of system-level “-ilities” to support overarching risk assessments of Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability (CIA) and an enduring cyber-worthiness capability for CSSI.

Abstract:

This study analyzes AI-generated propaganda videos produced by Chinese state-affiliated actors to examine how meaning is constructed through multimodal design. Using a social semiotic framework and multimodal qualitative content analysis, the research explores how visual, textual, and auditory modes interact to encode ideological messages. Findings reveal that these videos deploy strategic combinations of symbolic imagery, ambient sound design, and compositional framing to represent American institutions as morally bankrupt, militaristic, or culturally hollow. Rather than relying on explicit argumentation, the propaganda achieves persuasion through emotional tone, irony, and mythic symbolism—inviting viewers to adopt a critical or oppositional stance toward the United States. This aestheticized approach reflects a shift in Chinese cognitive warfare: from declarative messaging to immersive perception management. The study contributes to propaganda theory by mapping how intermodal coherence functions as rhetorical strategy and offers practical implications for information warfare professionals confronting an increasingly ambient and algorithmically distributed threat environment.

Abstract:

Managing cybersecurity risks within financial technology organisations is increasingly complex, with traditional qualitative assessments falling short in quantifying the financial implications of cyber threats. This paper presents an approach to implementing a Cybersecurity Debt Management Model, which integrates cybersecurity with financial risk management methodologies, demonstrating a structured method for operationalising the model within a FinTech IT environment. The model quantifies the financial impact of unresolved cybersecurity vulnerabilities, facilitating decision making, targeted resource allocation, and regulatory compliance. The proposed approach provides organisations with insights into managing cybersecurity debt, thereby promoting resilience and alignment of technical measures with strategic objectives.

Abstract:

Cognitive Warfare leverages advances in science and technology to influence how populations think and behave. There is currently no unified framework for conceptualizing its goals and methods. This paper introduces the Unplug, Corrupt, disOrganize, Diagnose, Enhance (UnCODE) system to classify Cognitive Warfare strategies. UnCODE is neurocentric, focusing on how adversarial actions affect neural information processing in individuals, algorithms, or societies. It defines five goal categories and divides methods into direct and indirect neural access. Being domain- and species-agnostic, UnCODE enables interdisciplinary understanding of attack strategies and serves as a unifying framework for analysing Cognitive Warfare across contexts.

Abstract:

The authors propose a novel decomposition of a cyber weapon into cooperating modules, discussing how each module influences the weapon features. Next, the authors examine the adoption of an attack infrastructure to mitigate the weaknesses of these weapons as identified in the literature. Such an attack infrastructure supports the coordination and updating of weapon modules both during their propagation toward targets and after deployment on those targets. The use of this infrastructure parallels that of conventional physical weapons and is corroborated by the evolution of malware and rootkits in the criminal domain.

Abstract:

This study examines the Salt Typhoon cyber operation as a paradigmatic case of China’s evolving cyber capabilities and their implications for strategic competition. The analysis reveals that Salt Typhoon represents a qualitative evolution from opportunistic intelligence gathering to strategic deterrence positioning, demonstrating how authoritarian governance structures provide strategic advantages in cyber competition while identifying pathways for democratic societies to restore strategic balance through resilience-based deterrence and institutional adaptation.

Abstract:

The U.S. Army’s information operations (IO) community stands at a critical strategic crossroad that will shape its trajectory over the coming decade. With the release of Army Doctrine Publication 3-13, Information, the Army risks repeating a long-standing doctrinal error by continuing to define IO officers primarily as “synchronizers” and “integrators” of information capabilities and organizations in support of lethal operations. This narrow framing marginalizes the broader non-lethal potential of IO in joint and combined environments. The paper argues that IO practitioners should instead be conceptualized primarily as deception officers, central to the conduct of influence and information warfare.