Some of the world’s leading scientists argue that the haphazard development and lack of planning based on the outdated foundation of the Internet are causing billions of USD in damages, hindering progress, and posing serious security threats.
The Burden on the Internet Machine
Since the early 1990s, David Clark – a veteran expert from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, USA) and one of the chief architects of the Internet – has been warning about the technical obstacles affecting the expansion of the Internet, particularly the domain name issues and the lack of built-in security. Now, Clark asserts that the technical burden has fallen upon us.
It is undeniable that the Internet has attracted billions of users, e-commerce has flourished, and email has become an extremely popular means of communication. However, at the same time, the security situation is increasingly perilous, and the ability to adopt new technologies is becoming more limited. If this situation continues, the worst-case scenario could occur when all the conveniences of the massive Internet machine become completely stuck.
Over the years, Internet applications have proliferated at a rapid pace, from online payments to VoIP, music downloads, file-sharing networks, and wireless devices… Application developers are competing to release updates, patches, and fixes…
As a result, the initially simple communication technology of the Internet has transformed into a highly complex, convoluted system that is increasingly difficult to manage. One of the most visible and significant consequences is the chaotic state of cybersecurity.
Cybersecurity or a “Patchwork Quilt”
A recent study by IBM indicates that the number of emails containing viruses and cybercriminal attacks worldwide in the first half of 2005 increased by 50% compared to the same period last year.
In the United States, statistics show that 43% of Internet users have detected spyware on their computers, and 91% have taken preventive measures such as avoiding suspicious websites or downloading questionable software, and installing security software…
The spam issue is also quite alarming. Over 1.2 billion spam emails are distributed globally each week, accounting for 60% of all emails. But perhaps the most concerning aspect is that a large number of ordinary users’ computers around the world have been hijacked by hackers, turning them into a massive remotely controlled network for malicious activities like attacking websites or sending spam.
The core issue is that the Internet lacks an integrated and inherited security architecture to defend against viruses, spam, or any harmful elements. The original Internet protocols were designed in the 1960s, with the sole purpose of establishing communication between a few hundred government and university computers.
This technology breaks digital data into small “packets” and transmits these packets to the intended destination through a series of network routers. By this design, the Internet cannot differentiate if any packets contain viruses or malicious software.
Gradually, people came up with “patchy” solutions like firewalls, antivirus software, spam filters, and patches… These measures are largely passive, responding externally in a limited and messy way since not everyone installs these solutions, and each user has different types. Patches appear like mushrooms after rain, causing the entire system to become a “patchwork quilt,” complicated, confusing, difficult to manage, and hard to improve.
Many experts agree that if this continues, it won’t be long before we hit a dead end, and there will certainly be vulnerabilities that we can no longer patch…
