The Independent, Wednesday, 18 August 2010
Icann’s key holder system aims to protect the internet against the DNS hijackers, but are there more prevalent threats to connectivity?
In 2008 two underwater cables were severed bringing internet blackouts to 15 countries in the Middle East and Asia – 80 per cent of Indian connectivity was hit, triggering market panic. Sabotage? No, satellite images identified two ships that had dropped anchors on fibre optics.
An al-Qa’ida plot to attack Telehouse Europe – the UK’s leading internet hub – was uncovered in 2007 by Scotland Yard. The attack may have rendered much of the UK without internet, but server farms are built with security in mind, away from airports and in reinforced buildings.
The Melissa virus in 1999 “wreaked havoc on government and private sector networks” according to the FBI. The ILOVEYOU bug in 2000 infected 1 in 10 net-connected computers, causing billions-worth of damage. Anti-viral software has improved vastly since and terrorist electronic attacks are nullified by experts. A virus capable of bringing down the internet would face the greatest minds in the field.
Social engineering – manipulating people to divulge confidential information – is commonplace but is often for personal gain, not destruction. But with 8 per cent of internet traffic said to be fraudulent, threats to security do exist – DNS hijacking, viruses, or physical damage – and Icann’s cautious approach is warranted.
Posted on August 31, 2010