An Order of Seven Global Cyber-Guardians Now Hold Keys to the Internet

[Airbot]

You may have heard the rumor that swirled briefly last month about an Internet “kill switch” that could power down the Web in the case of a critical cyber attack. Those rumors turned out to be largely overblown, but it turns out there are now seven individuals out there holding keys to the Internet. In the aftermath of a cataclysmic cyber attack, these members of a “chain of trust” will be responsible for rebooting the Web.

Popular Science
BBC

 

[blackroseMD1]

Wow, that's not a bad idea. Kind of creepy though, like a secret society...

 

[Colonel Travis]

Those initial kill switch rumors were not overblown. I'm far more comfortable with this than the U.S. legislation, which was horrific because it was written so vaguely.

 

[Lordbob75]

And if ONE of the keys is destroyed...?

~Lordbob

 

[Petey7]

And if ONE of the keys is destroyed...?

~Lordbob

If you read the original article you'll see that only five are needed. So, if one gets destroyed, they make a replacement and in the mean time, if the key is needed, five of the other keys are used.

 

[Lordbob75]

And if ONE of the keys is destroyed...?

~Lordbob

If you read the original article you'll see that only five are needed. So, if one gets destroyed, they make a replacement and in the mean time, if the key is needed, five of the other keys are used.

Oh, I missed that.

Well, what happens if 3 are destroyed AFTER the internet dies?

~Lordbob

 

[Sprockett]

Those initial kill switch rumors were not overblown. I'm far more comfortable with this than the U.S. legislation, which was horrific because it was written so vaguely.

So true. My first reaction to the US plan was a flashback to that scene from WarGames. "Turn your key, sir!"

 

[cloud8521]

what if i assassinated all of the card holders?

 

[blackroseMD1]

THE INTERWEBZZ IZ UNDER ATTACZ!



While I think it's a good idea...I don't really see anyone going after the internet on a large scale. Telephone systems and public transit, yeah, but not the internet. Just doesn't make sense if telephone/cell phone systems are still in place.

 

[kpo6969]

Sounds like the last season of Prison Break.

 

[BomberAF]

Imagine they had to hit the kill switch, do you think the people on Twitter would be tweeting what made them hit the kill switch or would they be trending what they done while Twitter was down?

 

[smarteyeball]

The whole idea of TURNING OFF THE INTERNET is more terrifying than any cataclysmic cyber attack.

Could you imagine the horror of actually having to *gasp* talk to people in person?

Of course it's the children I'd feel sorry for the most. An entire generation that would be struck mute and incapable of interacting with anybody.

All those mute children with blank expressions and fingers twitching spasmodically from muscle memory due to phantom keyboards and cell phones...


Actually, that would be rather amusing to see - switch off the net I say

 

[johnwillyums]

Perhaps I'm paranoid but I see the greatest danger in the internet being "turned off" to avoid the spread of information considered to be not in the national interest.
I'm thinking a nuclear attack, outbreak of plague in the cities etc plus a civil war or revolutionary situation.
Governments would not want information causing panic in the country or revolutionary groups coordinating their efforts.
Isn't this like the situation in China. The government do not want the general population knowing of anti government movements or ethnic conflicts in the regions in case these things spread to other areas and eventually become a major threat to the state.

 

[Luckystar]

The whole idea of TURNING OFF THE INTERNET is more terrifying than any cataclysmic cyber attack.

Could you imagine the horror of actually having to *gasp* talk to people in person?

Of course it's the children I'd feel sorry for the most. An entire generation that would be struck mute and incapable of interacting with anybody.

All those mute children with blank expressions and fingers twitching spasmodically from muscle memory due to phantom keyboards and cell phones...


Actually, that would be rather amusing to see - switch off the net I say

I would pay to see that happen.

My flat mate always says, if they shut down the internet, the whole world would come to a standstill and no one would know what to do. LOL.

Lucky

 

[Scotteq]

...and One Key To Rule Them All

 

[cloud8521]

what i want to know is how do you restart the Internet anyway?

 

[Borg 386]

Hmmm...I'm guessing this is about the time when HAM Radio makes a rather quick comeback

 

[Kari]

The Keys to the Internet. Each smart card contains
a portions of the DNSSEC root key, which would be
necessary to reboot the Internet as we know it if
connections were severed to stem a cyber attack.
(From http://www.popsci.com/technology/ar...n-cyber-guardians-around-world-now-hold-keys-


June 16 2010 DNSSEC Root KSK Key Ceremony:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6EUdixn98k&feature=player_embedded
(From These Countries Hold the Keys to the Internet)

 

[marsmimar]

Anybody care to guess what the odds are that the internet would ever be shut down? Seems about as likely as me being able to fly to Saturn in my lifetime as a tourist. Besides, how can anyone be sure there isn't already a second (unused) "parallel" internet?

 

[Petey7]

Anybody care to guess what the odds are that the internet would ever be shut down? Seems about as likely as me being able to fly to Saturn in my lifetime as a tourist. Besides, how can anyone be sure there isn't already a second (unused) "parallel" internet?

Because that would just be bad story telling. In the writing world, we call that a cop-out.