"Need to focus on cyber attacks threat in line with the change in cyber security landscape"

The cyber security landscape has changed and the countries and agencies need to focus on the looming threat of cyber attacks, experts told the Global Security Forum (GSF) on Tuesday.While attending the session on ‘Evolving Security Challenges and Threat Landscapes’, Anjana Rajan, assistant national cyber director for technology security, The White House, said the cybersecurity landscape has fundamentally changed and noted that the future conflicts may include cyber warfare."An hour before Russian troops set foot in Ukraine, there was a state-sponsored Russian cyber attack on an American satellite company. The future of global conflict now includes outer space, and the weapon will include cyber warfare,” she stated.Moderated by Mark Mazzetti, Washington investigative correspondent, New York Times, the session discussed the significant changes over the past two decades in security challenges and threat landscapes. It was noted that concerns about the potential of terror outfits to motivate and inspire attacks remains a persistent concern.The session also discussed the increased focus on domestic violent extremism, racially and ethnically motivated actors, including with international connections, and evolving partnerships on counterterrorism."What we are seeing are individuals picking up scattered ideas from multiple sources online and the result is a diabolical mixture of violence. And as a result, you see terrorist tactics being used by individuals who display very little cognisable ideology,” noted Rebecca Weiner, assistant commissioner of the Intelligence and Counterterrorism Bureau, New York City Police Department.Retired Col Chris Costa, executive director, International Spy Museum and former special assistant to the President and senior director for Counterterrorism, US National Security Council, said countries have to be concerned about anti-government terrorism and noted that the US Government continues to focus on counter terrorism while taking up efforts to eliminate the Jihadi threats.Gregory LoGerfo, deputy co-ordinator for Regional and Multilateral Affairs, US Department of State, said there is a looming threat of cyber terrorist attack that needs to be countered.