Friday, March 14, 2014

The internet is actually controlled by 14 people who hold 7 secret keys...

This sounds like something out of a Dan Brown book but it isn't: The whole internet is controlled by seven actual, physical keys. The Guardian's James Ball was recently allowed to observe the highly secure ritual known as a key ceremony.

The people conducting the ceremony are part of an organization called the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). ICANN is responsible for assigning numerical internet addresses to websites and computers and translating them into the normal web addresses that people type into their browsers.

For instance, type 64.27.101.155 into your browser and you'll be taken to Business Insider's web page. But www.businessinsider.com is easier for people to remember. ICANN maps the numbers (easier for computers to use) with words (easier for humans to use).

 If someone were to gain control of ICANN's database that person would control the internet. For instance, the person could send people to fake bank websites instead of real bank websites. Full story...

Related posts:
  1. The seven keys of the Internet???
  2. Life is serene without the internet, says teen hacker...
  3. Internet founder Tim Berners-Lee: 'There is no internet doomsday switch'.
  4. US president to get "kill switch" that will shut down the Internet?
  5. The blogosphere readers...

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