Domestic terrorism incidents in the United States surged by 357% between 2013 and 2021, as terrorist organizations began leveraging artificial intelligence, drones, and other advanced technologies for recruitment and attack planning. During this eight-year period, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) documented 230 domestic terrorism incidents, with racially and ethnically motivated attacks proving to be the most lethal and destructive.
The alarming statistics come as federal agencies grapple with significant coordination challenges and emerging technologies that experts warn are creating unprecedented security vulnerabilities across critical infrastructure.
“We’re seeing attacks against hospitals, water supply systems, rural schools—targets that would have been unthinkable in previous conflicts,” said Nitin Natarajan, former Deputy Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). “The rules are changing in what we’re seeing nation-states and cyber criminals do.”
Digital Weapons in Terrorist Hands
The convergence of accessible technology and extremist ideology has created what security professionals describe as a “perfect storm” for modern terrorism. Unlike traditional threats that required extensive resources and training, today’s digital weapons can be deployed by amateur users with devastating effect.
“The beauty of cyberattacks is they don’t require boots on the ground; they can be executed globally, without borders, from anywhere,” Natarajan explained during a recent gathering of experts convened by Homeland Security Today to discuss evolving cyber, technology, weapons of mass destructions (WMDs), and tactics in the digital age. “Many can be low-cost yet still have disruptive impacts and effects.”
Terrorist groups like ISIS have established sophisticated cyber units, including the United Cyber Caliphate, conducting everything from website defacements to denial-of-service attacks. While these may seem like small-scale operations, experts warn that advancing technology will enable more destructive capabilities with fewer resources.
Federal Agencies Face Coordination Crisis
Despite the growing threat, federal agencies tasked with combating domestic terrorism are struggling with fundamental coordination problems. A Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation revealed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and DHS agents often don’t know when or with whom to share critical threat information.
“When we spoke with agents on the ground, they said they didn’t always know who to share the threat information with and when to do it,” said Triana McNeil, Director of GAO’s Homeland Security and Justice Team. “That’s an issue when you’re trying to counter these threats.”
The coordination problems extend beyond federal agencies. The nation’s first-ever domestic terrorism strategy, released in 2021, lacked: clear roles for state and local partners, performance measures to track progress, and identified resources to achieve its goals – all considered essential elements of effective national strategies – according to GAO’s report examining the National Strategy on Countering Domestic Terrorism.
Private Sector Partnerships Under Strain
Social media and gaming companies have become unlikely frontlines in the fight against domestic terrorism, with 33% of mass attack perpetrators posting content online and 20% of adult gamers exposed to extremist material. However, government partnerships with these companies remain haphazard.
“There was no strategy, there were no clear goals about what you’re trying to achieve when you’re making these connections with different companies,” McNeil noted, describing the current approach as scattered and ineffective.
The GAO found that while FBI and DHS have developed various tools to share and receive threat information from private companies, the efforts lack coordination and strategic direction.
Next Generation Vulnerabilities
Perhaps most concerning is how the next generation approaches cybersecurity. At a recent New York City event, college students shocked security experts when asked, “Are they thinking about cybersecurity in their day-to-life as they are using technology?” by declaring they “don’t care about privacy and we don’t care if people take our personal information theft.
As Natarajan relayed this story, he warned. “We’d be remiss if we didn’t factor in how the next generation is looking at cybersecurity as part of their day-to-day life—it’s very different from how we look at it.”
Critical Infrastructure in Crosshairs
The water sector represents the next major vulnerability, with 141,000 utilities nationwide, many lacking basic cybersecurity protections. Iranian hackers recently exploited water systems using default passwords of “1111”—attacks that could have been prevented by changing passwords to “2222.”
“When those victims were notified, they didn’t even know how to change the default password,” Natarajan revealed. “Some said the person who installed the system left five years ago and doesn’t work here anymore.”
Food and agriculture systems face similar risks, with modern tractors now containing two million lines of code and extensive data flows that could be manipulated to disrupt everything from seeding to harvesting.
Resource Constraints Amid Growing Threats
These mounting challenges come as security agencies face potential budget cuts. CISA, which grew from 2,100 to 3,400 employees over four years with strong bipartisan support, now faces proposed reductions of 25-33%.
“We are already outnumbered 50 to 1” against Chinese cyber operations alone, Natarajan pointed out, citing FBI Director Christopher Wray’s testimony. “That situation is only getting worse as we see reductions in funding and government workforce.”
The intersection of emerging technologies, resource constraints, and evolving terrorist tactics creates an unprecedented challenge for homeland security. As experts noted, the threat landscape will only grow more complex as artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies become more accessible to those seeking to cause harm.
“We need to make sure we’re doing more to build resilience into our nation’s critical infrastructure,” Natarajan emphasized, “and continue to take the lead internationally in setting standards that reflect our values and those of like-minded allies.”
This article is based on key insights shared at Homeland Security Today’s COUNTERTERRORISM2025 summit.
