Supercomputers that control the internet... HACKED!!!

[Jpec07]

This is recent news (not exactly yesterday). Anyways, I recently learned that 9 out of the 11 computers that process the whole internet were hacked into and shut down the other day.

 

[duo17]

Then why were we able to go on-line?

OA

 

[Sage]

Originally posted by Jpec07
This is recent news (not exactly yesterday). Anyways, I recently learned that 9 out of the 11 computers that process the whole internet were hacked into and shut down the other day.

Another example of why one shouldn't believe everything one reads, and to take most things in with a healthy pinch of salt.

Not an attack on you, just a generalized statement to keep in mind.

 

[Klostrophobic]

Haha. Yeah, the computers that run the internet.

Wow.

 

[pedrodaman]

i forgot what i was going to say

 

[Solid Fro]

Computer that run the internet?

The computers that were attacked are called Root Servers. They are DNS servers that are used to convert URL's into IP addresses used by computers connected to the Internet.

There is no single computer running the Internet. The Internet is a big connection of all the computers connected to it, kind of like a World Wide Web ...Get it? These Root Servers are like traffic lights that direct traffic to one street to another.

 

[LoudMusic]

Yeah, pretty much what VZ said.

I'd like to add that they were not hacked. It was a DDoS attack (distributed denial of service), which essentially floods their internet connection to the point that they are useless.

Keep in mind, the attack was on 9 of the 11 (? thought it was 16 ... ?). This is called redundancy. It's a good thing. And it obviously works, because "the internet" didn't "go down" ... to use laymen's terms.

 

[LoudMusic]

Oh, this is kind of a strange request. Can we get the topic changed and this thread locked? I hate spreading false information.

"Supercomputers that control the internet... HACKED!!!"

changed to ...

"Root servers survive DDoS Attack"

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Good request.

And the internet can function with only one root server running...

 

[LoudMusic]

Originally posted by GilesGuthrie
Good request.

And the internet can function with only one root server running...

Though DNS would be really damn slow to respond (: I guess the majority of it should be cached and you would be getting it from your ISP's DNS server ...

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Originally posted by LoudMusic


Though DNS would be really damn slow to respond (: I guess the majority of it should be cached and you would be getting it from your ISP's DNS server ...

Well, yes! And any changes to the DNS database would take - erm - a while (!!) to propagate. But it would still work.

There's a vulnerability in the UK internet, but I'm not too sure of the details. I think it pertains to where the main UK backbones connect to the main UK-US backbones. There are something like 12 hardcore pipes going into one building! But it is an ex-nuclear war shelter, so I don't think we should worry about it too much!

 

[LoudMusic]

UUNet (largest I`net backbone) has several cool maps on their website:

Map page: http://www.worldcom.com/global/about/network/global_presence/

Lite detail world map: http://www.worldcom.com/global/about/network/global_presence/global/wcom_global_presence_GLOBAL.pdf

Europe: http://www.worldcom.com/global/about/network/global_presence/europe/

 

[Jpec07]

honestly. there are 11 supercomputers that process the internet, and nine of them were hacked into and shut down. One more, and the whole internet would have crashed.

 

[LoudMusic]

Originally posted by Jpec07
honestly. there are 11 supercomputers that process the internet, and nine of them were hacked into and shut down. One more, and the whole internet would have crashed.

You are stupid. Stop talking.

 

[Klostrophobic]

Haha. You rule, LM.

 

[LoudMusic]

Originally posted by Klostrophobic
Haha. You rule, LM.

(:

 

[F1man]

LoudMusic he's not stupid.

 

[duo17]

Originally posted by LoudMusic


You are stupid. Stop talking.

Simple and to the point. You are the few that can claim to be a good person...

OA

 

[LoudMusic]

Originally posted by F1man
LoudMusic he's not stupid.

Ok, how about this.

You don't know what you're talking about. Stop spreading ignorance.

 

[duo17]

You're still saying that he's stupid because of the "You don't know what your talking about," part.

OA

 

[LoudMusic]

No, I'm saying that he doesn't know what he's talking about. If a brain surgeon were to talk about supercomputers chances are he wouldn't know what he was talking about either. That doesn't mean he's not smart. It's just not his area of intelligence.

 

[Jpec07]

exactly. I didn't know exactly (as I didn't read it myself). My mother conveyed this message to me. I didn't know that it was the root servers, and not something that controls the whole internet (although it does process practically the whole thing)...

 

[rjensen11]

So, um, for the maps... I thought we had some satilites running the internet as well, relaying a bunch of stuff back and forth. Is this incorrect? I meant this for specifically over the oceans and such. I know it is possible to run cables long distances, the US government is trying to do that down to Antarctica so we can have constant communication with them, but just a thought.

 

[LoudMusic]

Those are maps of the UUNet network. They use optical cable (OC) almost exclusively.

Satalite isn't used anywhere a line can be layed. Satalite is slow and expensive, whereas a cable is just about as cheap as it gets and relatively unlimited in bandwidth.

 

[sn00pie]

I own the internet.

 

[LoudMusic]

You may own it, but I created it. And I have the top secret password.

 

[sn00pie]

Damn you!

I was going to put it on eBay anyway...

 

[Klonie Gun]

Only if your computer has broadband cable, your computer is susceptible to hackers. Then, it's time to get an anti-hacker and anti-virus program.

 

[MR]

Originally posted by Klonie Gun
Only if your computer has broadband cable, your computer is susceptible to hackers. Then, it's time to get an anti-hacker and anti-virus program.

I have a virus scanner but I took down my firewall. Should I put my firewall back up then if I'm susceptible to hackers?

 

[LoudMusic]

If your computer is connected to the Internet it is susceptible to hackers - even if you have a firewall.

There is a horrible missconception about computer security that the majority of the populace just doesn't understand. Unfortunately, I'm not the one to explain it all to you.