How real is the threat of cyberterrorism?

Cyberterrorism features high in the public mind. In a recent Gallup poll, 79 per cent of Americans ranked a cyberterrorism attack on essential infrastructure third in a list of the greatest threats facing the US.

But a former FBI special agent with particular expertise in cyberterrorism has said real cyberterrorists are so rare they might be considered unicorns in the ranks of more typical cyber-attackers, such as hacktivists, disgruntled insiders, criminals, spies or nation states engaged in cyber-warfare.

“I’m not too concerned that were going to have a cyber 9/11 tomorrow,” says former agent Andre McGregor, now working in the private sector as head of security at security consultants Tanium. While in the FBI, he focused on China, Russia, Iran, Al-Qaeda and Islamic State (and, these days, is also the FBI adviser to the television series Mr Robot).