Lone Wolves in Cyberspace – A New Threat in the Field of Internet Terrorism

Abstract

This article addresses a new, dynamically developing phenomenon in the field of online terrorism: so-called cyberwolves – perpetrators operating independently, combining the characteristics of classic lone wolves and hackers. The authors hypothesize that cyberwolves constitute an autonomous category of asymmetric terrorism actors, which cannot be reduced to either a hacker operating for profit or a terrorist operating within an organized structure. The article reviews the relevant literature and reports from security institutions, and analyzes case studies. Based on this, three main categories of cyberwolves were identified: ideological (hacktivists), those motivated by personal vengeance, and those motivated by psychopathology. The analysis indicates that cyberwolves are a growing phenome-non, and their destructive potential often exceeds the capabilities of organized terrorist groups due to the lack of internal control mechanisms, the surprise effect, and the difficulty in predicting their actions. The article concludes with the thesis that cyberwolves constitute an autonomous and dynamically de-veloping branch of internet terrorism, requiring a separate definitional and analytical approach.