AN international expert in cyber-crimes says cities like Toowoomba are prime targets for terrorist recruiters.

James Scott, Co-founder of Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology, said cyber jihad was fuelled by ideology rather than nationality.

"Toowoomba is just like the most rural parts of America, Europe and New Zealand, they target social outcasts, the lonely, the isolated and the antisocial for recruitment.

"ISIS uses social media and magazines like Dabiq and Android apps like Amaq Agency and Dawn of Glad Tidings to spread propaganda, hijack infected devices for DDoS and Botnet attacks.

"They even have an ISIS cyber help desk that helps these new recruits cloak themselves in anonymity for lone wolf attacks.

"Toowoomba, and Australia, is just as much of a target as any other five eyes nations which include Canada, New Zealand, UK and USA.

Mr Scott recently published a white paper called the Anatomy of Cyber Jihad: Cyberspace is the new Great Equalizer which describes the attack vectors and methods and targets.

He said the findings were perfectly applicable to the most desolate towns and the most remote parts of Australia.

A representative of the Queensland Police Service said the organisation worked closely with other agencies, including the Australian Federal Police and police from other states in countering violent extremism.

Exteremist organisations use the internet to recruit followers.

"Each of the five police regions in Queensland has a Counter Terrorism Coordinator and programs are in place in Queensland with a large number of specialists from a range of sectors including law enforcement, education, multicultural and youth affairs, social services, health, and child protection, who have been trained to identify indicators of radicalisation and how to intervene."

The representative said families, friends and communities who saw changes in an individual that suggested they may be radicalising or thinking about travelling to participate in a foreign conflict were urged to contact local authorities to seek further help and advice.

"The online environment is being exploited by violent extremists to spread their propaganda and recruit others.

"Just as parents and families have gained greater understanding of the dangers posed by online sexual predators, there needs to be increased awareness of extremists using similar tactics to recruit and motivate susceptible individuals, particularly young people.

"It is vitally important that we are aware of the content so action can be taken. The QPS encourage members of the public to report objectionable material to either social media providers or through the Report Online Extremism tool at reportextremism.livingsafetogether.gov.au."

The Australian Federal Police were approached for comment and referred The Chronicle to the Attorney-General's Department.

The department referred to a web page at ag.gov.au which states the Australian Government is committed to preventing violent extremism.

It states the department is addressing online radicalisation and challenging terrorist propaganda by limiting its appeal, reducing access to extremist material online and empowering community voices to combat extremist narratives.

The white paper released by Mr James outlines the threats posed.

"From Al Queda to Al Shabaab, from Boko Haram to ISIS, this Cyber Caliphate flourishes in the techno nutrient rich, binary soil of the Internet and continually reinforced via graphic imagery and unique story telling in publications such as Dabiq and Kybernetiq."

"The rapid success of the Cyber-Jihad movement has been expedited via magnification of xenophobia, powerful and organised propaganda and the targeting and recruitment of social outcasts from the American Midwest to the Streets of Paris and London, and religious zealots who make easy recruits for carrying out cyber-attacks as part of the collective and lone wolf initiatives."

The capabilities terror groups Al Qaeda, Al Shabaab and Boko Haram are described in detail.

The group which claimed responsibility for the November 2015 Paris attacks, ISIS, is noted as having a strong online presence that heavily recruits and promotes "lone-wolf" actions through social media.

"Their radical beliefs are spread by a diverse, unregulated band of digital zealots across conventional social media such as Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr, and on less conventional channels such as forums and message boards," the report stated.

"Members target lonely and misguided individuals, regardless of their initial beliefs, by offering a sense of community and by glamorizing the fight, actions, and lifestyle of the movement."