Research Article
Explanatory Case Study of the Authur Pendragon Cyber Threat: Socio-psychological and Communication Perspectives
@INPROCEEDINGS{10.1007/978-3-319-25512-5_11, author={Kathryn Seigfried-Spellar and Ben Flores and Darrin Griffin}, title={Explanatory Case Study of the Authur Pendragon Cyber Threat: Socio-psychological and Communication Perspectives}, proceedings={Digital Forensics and Cyber Crime. 7th International Conference, ICDF2C 2015, Seoul, South Korea, October 6--8, 2015, Revised Selected Papers}, proceedings_a={ICDF2C}, year={2015}, month={10}, keywords={Cyberterrorism Cyber threat Authur pendragon Rumor mongering Social attachment model Affiliation}, doi={10.1007/978-3-319-25512-5_11} }- Kathryn Seigfried-Spellar
Ben Flores
Darrin Griffin
Year: 2015
Explanatory Case Study of the Authur Pendragon Cyber Threat: Socio-psychological and Communication Perspectives
ICDF2C
Springer
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-25512-5_11
Abstract
Cyber(terrorism) threats posted via social media are capable of devastating, real-world effects, including miscommunication and rumors, panic, and financial loss. This manuscript details a case study of the cyber(terrorism) threat that occurred at The University of Alabama on September 21, 2014, referred to as the Authur Pendragon incident. The Authur Pendragon threat led to a week of fear, social media hyperactivity, and the propagation of rumors, all of which reached beyond The University of Alabama campus. A timeline of the event, which includes social media posts, official University responses, and mass media coverage, are presented followed by an analysis of the case from both a socio-psychological and communications perspective. Recommendations for managing cyber threats and rumor mongering are provided as well as future research suggestions.