Scientists Warn That Metaverse Could Become a Hub for Cyberterrorism
The immersive virtual world being touted as the next iteration of the internet should be protected now, while it is still developing, to prevent it from being abused by terrorists, a new University of Haifa study finds
As the metaverse continues to develop, concerns surrounding potential security dangers are growing.
The metaverse is an immersive virtual world in which users interact with other people and with avatars within a computer-generated environment. Using virtual and augmented virtual reality, as well as artificial intelligence, those in the metaverse can socialize, work, play games, and conduct other activities. While the concept is still in development, companies including Google, Microsoft, and Meta (formerly Facebook) are investing billions in it, and some scientists consider that it will become the next iteration of the internet.
By 2026, 25% of people are expected to spend at least one hour a day in the metaverse for work, shopping, education, or entertainment, according to Gartner, a US technological research and consulting firm.
The basic suggestion behind the metaverse study is, why don’t we look at emerging platforms and instead of waiting for [terrorists] to use it, try to suggest ways in constructing those future platforms in a way that will be safer against terrorist abuse
However, Prof. Gabriel Weimann of Reichman University, who is also professor emeritus at the University of Haifa and a visiting professor at Georgetown University, and graduate student Roy Dimant have released a new study outlining the cyberterrorism security risks of the metaverse and proposing preventative measures.
“The basic suggestion behind the metaverse study is, why don’t we look at emerging platforms and instead of waiting for [terrorists] to use it, try to suggest ways in constructing those future platforms in a way that will be safer against terrorist abuse,” Weimann told The Media Line.
He said that over the past 25 years, terrorists had become increasingly innovative and sophisticated “in terms of adopting and using or abusing emerging platforms.”
He said the current approach to countering cyberterrorism on social media and other digital arenas was “a dialectic game, like cat and mouse.”
“They use a platform, and we try to block it or remove them from there. … It’s a never-ending game in which they just move to new platforms and move to the darknet as well,” he said.
Weimann said he fears that the metaverse will open new and unseen doors for terrorists. Using virtual reality, terrorists may be able to simulate training camps or create other realistic scenarios to train, radicalize, and incite.
In their study, Weimann and Dimant propose preventative measures such as cooperation between the public and private sectors, early engagement for redesigning metaverse systems, law enforcement monitoring of the platform, and properly educating users of the dangers. They hope companies will implement these policies to prevent terrorists from adapting to the new platform.
“I think that if only some of [the policies] will be applied, we are already making progress,” Weimann said.
However, other experts indicated that a better understanding of the cyber world is needed.
If you invest in education, you have a better chance to protect your organization than if you upgrade the technology
Daniel Ehrenreich, a cybersecurity expert, told The Media Line that the topic of the potential dangers of the metaverse “is not on the table right now.”
“We need to pay attention to understanding the nature of cyber incidents. … We need to talk about the influence of AI, which is supporting improved cyber defense mechanisms on the one hand, and the influence of AI creating sophisticated cyberattack vectors on the other,” he said.
Both Ehrenreich and Weimann said there is a need for proper education to prevent uneducated and potentially dangerous reactions to cybersecurity events when they arise.
“If you invest in education, you have a better chance to protect your organization than if you upgrade the technology,” Ehrenreich said.
Hannah Levin is a student at Northwestern University and an intern in The Media Line’s Press and Policy Student Program.
