# Cyber Terrorism **Domain:** Cybersecurity / Political Violence / Critical Infrastructure **Doc Type:** Canonical Concept Node **Maturity:** Developing ## Definition **Cyber terrorism** describes cyber operations intended to intimidate or coerce a population, institution or government through serious disruption, fear, violence or threats to essential systems. Definitions vary across legal, policy and scholarly contexts, especially where operations cause severe psychological or social harm without physical destruction. ## Distinctions Cybercrime may seek money or access; espionage may seek information; sabotage may seek system failure. A terrorism classification turns on coercive or intimidating purpose and the wider audience or political effect, not merely on the use of computers. ## Journal Context [[journal/2026-08-21 - Cyber Terrorism Is Terrorism|Cyber Terrorism Is Terrorism]] uses the term in a first-person argument about sustained attacks on informational, relational and personal continuity. That personal classification remains the author's interpretation; this node preserves the broader conceptual boundary. ## See Also [[wiki/Terrorism|Terrorism]], [[wiki/Cyber Extortion|Cyber Extortion]], [[wiki/Cyber Sabotage|Cyber Sabotage]], [[wiki/Weaponization of Discontinuity|Weaponization of Discontinuity]]