Noora Al-Sahlawi: There Is a Lack of Effective Mechanisms to Combat Cybercrime

Dr. Noora Rashid Al-Sahlawi, of the College of Law at Qatar University, affirmed that cybercrime has become a new challenge facing the international community and is increasingly difficult to control due to rapid technological advancement, the widespread dissemination of information in cyberspace, and the ease with which information can be shared and exploited to facilitate the activities of both governmental entities and private individuals. She noted that the interaction between governments, institutions, and individuals has become heavily dependent on virtual networks. In a research paper entitled “Cyberterrorism in International Laws”, Dr. Al-Sahlawi examined cybercrime and its far-reaching consequences. She highlighted that, while technological development has brought significant benefits to humanity, it has also enabled organized criminal groups and individuals acting outside the law to commit offences more easily and to develop entirely new forms of criminal activity. The paper further explained that one of the greatest challenges currently confronting states is the threat of cyberterrorism, which has evolved into a new form of “cold war” requiring little more than the technical skills necessary to penetrate systems, impose unlawful agendas, and disrupt the functioning of governments, thereby causing substantial economic and security losses to states targeted by such attacks.