Some security experts fear that links exist between terrorists and various hacker groups worldwide. For example, in late 1998, Dr. Dorothy Denning, a professor studying terrorists, found that the separatist group Harkat-ul-Ansar in India attempted to buy military software from hackers. Furthermore, in March 2000, Dr. Denning said that the Aum Shinrikyo religious sect had contracted to develop computer software for as many as 80 Japanese companies and some government agencies, with JapanÂ’s Metropolitan police department being part of the contract. No cyber attacks related to these contracts were ever openly reported.

See Also: Denning, Dorothy; Terrorism.