Tech for Jihad: Dissecting Jihadists’ Digital Toolbox

By Laith Alkhouri & Alex Kassire

July 2016

Introduction

Over the past two years, the media has tended to sensationalize jihadists’ rapid adoption and strategic use of social media. Despite perpetual news coverage on the issue, the general public remains relatively uninformed about the complex ways in which many jihadists maintain robust yet secretive online presences. To accomplish their goals ― ranging from propaganda dissemination and recruitment to launching attacks ― jihadists must skillfully leverage various digital technologies that are widely advertised and freely accessible online.

Just as smart phones and portable devices have transformed the way much of the world communicates and interacts, jihadists, too, have rapidly adopted and availed themselves of these technologies. Their savvy grasp of technology presents one of the most frequently asked questions about jihadists today: what is in their digital toolbox and how do they exploit these technologies to benefit their activities?

This report explores these questions by elucidating 36 of the most noteworthy tools and technologies behind the online presence of jihadist groups such as ISIS. Flashpoint analysts have examined primary sources from the Deep and Dark Web to identify and analyze the key digital technologies facilitating the proliferation of these actors’ radical agendas.

Why is digital technology critical for jihadists?

Today’s jihadists rely heavily on the Internet, and their defense systems are increasingly shifting toward digital mediums. Consequently, this expanding online presence ignites an entirely new host of security concerns. As a result, many jihadists now depend on specialized security technologies. These technologies are imperative to jihadist operations ― whether for escaping surveillance, maintaining presences in underground channels, or obscuring tracks to war zones. Jihadist groups undeniably owe countless aspects of their perpetuated existence to the Internet.

Indeed, social media is integral to this robust online presence; it has truly transformed the global jihadist movement. Platforms such as Twitter and Facebook inflate jihadist notoriety, driving unlimited traffic, new recruits, and a global audience. Inevitably, this social media presence has generated pushback from certain platforms. Twitter in particular has been highly aggressive against pro-ISIS accounts. In response, today’s tech-savvy jihadists have demonstrated their keen adaptability; they now frequently leverage digital technologies to circumvent these barriers.

It is no secret that confidentiality and privacy are paramount to jihadists’ survival. However, most communication platforms lack the sophistication necessary to ensure sufficient security. As a result, today’s jihadists constantly seek alternative ways to advance their agendas and communicate securely. The 36 digital tools discussed within this report represent only a small sampling of the technologies required to overcome security challenges that would otherwise render jihadists’ daily tasks and crucial operations impossible.

Continued at: https://www.flashpoint-intel.com/home/assets/Media/TechForJihad.pdf