Islamic State goes cyber: OPSEC, app ratings and a 'Jihadi Help Desk'

The Islamic State group has a well-established global network in place it uses for "general organization, question-and-answer, propaganda [and] promoting certain software for on-the-ground operational planning like mapping programs," said Aaron Brantly, an assistant professor at the U.S. Military Academy who co-authored a piece for West Point's Combating Terrorism Center in May on the online communication methods employed by extremist groups. "We actually have a list of 120 different programs and their evaluation by the various members within the community."

A small group of experts helps guide other members through the do's and don'ts of clandestine communication, Brantly said. One example from his report: an aspiring jihadist being told by a more experienced forum member that "Skype is insecure, and Americans are recording every single call since 2008."

Another more recent example has been the group's shift to the Telegram app as its primary mode of communication, Brantly said. The free-to-use software offers many benefits to a group attempting to keep its messages private. Recent announcements by the group claiming responsibility for taking down a Russian passenger jet and for the Friday attacks in Paris were sent out using the 2-year-old app, according to a New York Times report.

"It's incredibly easy to use," Brantly said. "It caters to an anonymous audience. It functions both in group and person-to-person communications. It has timer settings so you can remove communications, based on time."

It also requires a cellphone number or an email address to use, but Brantly said Islamic State members have become adept at "spoofing" the system with fake accounts.

Terrorist tech support?

Brantly's CTC piece, co-authored with Muhammad al-'Ubaydi, described the "Jihadi Help Desk" — a core group of forum participants who offered advice to less-experienced members. Their actions go beyond simple software reviews: Training manuals are available, Brantly said, with "very descriptive explanations for why you should use certain platforms and why you shouldn't use other platforms."

"If somebody says, 'Let's meet for coffee,' that person is probably not an ISIS member or a jihadist member," Brantly said, using an alternative acronym for the Islamic State group. "They're probably a law enforcement member."

While a portion of these forums involves cyber-operations planning, Brantly said, most of them offer support for more traditional ops. While the group has attempted to develop its cyber skills, about 90 percent of its efforts in that field are at "a very low level," he said.

The cyber activities of the Islamic State group are closely watched in an effort to defend against attacks by the group. A 24-hour operations room is shown in Cheltenham, England.

Photo Credit: WPA

That may sound comforting, but such low-level attacks remain the key concerns for public-, private- and military-sector security personnel, said Robert Graham, CEO of Errata Security, a cybersecurity consulting company. A phishing attack designed to trick users into parting with their personal data does not require high-level computer training, Graham said, nor does overpowering the limited security measures offered by some small websites that require a password — hacks that can open doors in other locations.

"A lot of websites aren't terribly secure," Graham said, "and a lot of people reuse their passwords. They'll be a hack, and [a hacker] will see a dot-mil address, and they're using the same password on their military sites."

Stopping the spread

"The FBI, to their credit, has been very good at this," Brantly said. "We look at some of the FBI cases, and they really do a fantastic job of catching people before they fall too far down the rabbit hole. This is where you catch a large portion of people who are between tech-ignorant and tech-savvy. You kind of catch them early."

Some law enforcement agencies have suggested requiring software makers to provide governments with access to their encryption systems — a so-called back door that Graham said would find limited success.

"If you require Apple to [grant access], people will use Telegram," Graham said. "If you require Telegram to do it, people will use something else. Even if you require everybody to do it, someone will develop new software."

Extremist members who've been able to avoid detection have done so less through advance tech and more through something familiar to all service members, Graham said.

"It's OPSEC, operational security," he said. "Our military does it. It's all about avoiding eavesdropping, rather than encryption."

In Other News

January 6 convict asks for light sentence in order to remain in Navy

An active-duty service member convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack urged a judge for a light sentence in order to remain in the Navy.

Agreement helps military spouses keep federal jobs in overseas moves

Here's how an agreement between the Pentagon and State Department will help federally employed military spouses move their jobs overseas in a PCS.

Biden says uncle’s remains never found during WWII due to cannibals

While the claim contradicts the DPAA report about his uncle's fate, Biden's comments on cannibalism in the region during WWII are not far off.

Will the Supreme Court’s GI Bill ruling mean more money for vets?

A major veterans education benefits ruling by the Supreme Court this week could have far-reaching effects for millions of students.

Internet subsidy used by millions of vets, troops set to expire in May

A federal program that helps troops and veterans pay for home internet access will run out of funding next month without congressional action.

Load More