Americans Cite Cyberterrorism Among Top Three Threats to U.S.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As President Barack Obama rolls out a proposal to increase U.S. cybersecurity funding, Americans view cyberterrorism as a leading threat to U.S. vital interests in the next 10 years. U.S. adults rank cyberterrorism (73%) along with international terrorism (79%) and development of nuclear weapons by Iran (75%) as the highest of a dozen potential threats.

In prior years, Americans have been most likely to identify international terrorism, which is down slightly from last year's 84%, and development of nuclear weapons by Iran as critical threats to the U.S. This is the first year Gallup has asked about cyberterrorism, defined in the poll as "the use of computers to cause disruption or fear in society."