Elite Seven Chosen As Guardians of the Internet

[Formica Archonis]

I'm really an idiot and not understanding it. I read that as "we'll take down the internet to keep the bad guys from taking down the internet".

It's a "sever connection" that you can connect back later (a firewall perhaps?), not a deletion or corruption of files (take down the internet).

I'd best define my terms: "take down the internet" doesn't require things be deleted or corrupted, it merely requires things not work on a large scale. After all, most internet applications assume the Internet is "always on" so anything but a few minutes of disruption would cause problems, no matter how well intentioned. A fiber-seeking backhoe can cut regions off from the Internet. Is this merely an Internet-sized and reversible backhoe?

If what they stop isn't necessary for the functioning of the Internet at all then removing it probably wouldn't stop things like botnets and DoS attacks. If it's needed then removing it will make the Internet stop working.

 

[Hashbrick]

Pfff big deal everyone knows you just pull the plug and plug it back in.

Of course if you want to actually do damage, you don't "pull the plug," you mess up the code so the thing doesn't boot properly or sends bogus data to your computer or delete all the html files or whatever...

I'm also wondering how a "reboot" of the internet would work. There is probably billions of terrabytes worth of constantly changing information out there, and someone put it on seven keycards that can be easily transported to the US? Sounds like crap.

EDIT: Now that I read the article, it just says the keycards contain the DNSSEC root key... So in other words, it's like saving the BIOS of a computer (so that was a stretch...) (BIOS - the part that loads before windows - if someone wiped your hard drive, that is the only thing that would load). All the internet data is lost, but at least it will boot... What's the point of that?

I was referring to the southpark episode where they just plug it back in and the internet is back, but effort for thinking outside the box. "We're going californi-way to find us some internets."

 

[SomeBritishDude]

Ok. This has to become a movie.

[i/]*epic music*[/i] [b/]THIS SUMMER[/b]...[i/]*action sequence*[/i] [b/]SEVEN ELITE GUARDIANS[/b]...[i/]*seven people looking cool*[/i][b/] WILL CHANGE EVERYTHING![/b][i/] *explosions*[/i] [b/]"THE GUARDIANS OF THE INTERNET"!![/b][i/] *more explosions*[/i] Rated PG-13.

 

[oktalist]

Spoiler: Is the secure location deep beneath Area 51?

In all seriousness, to cut through all the hype: DNSSEC [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dnssec] is an extension to the DNS protocols that resolve the domain names that we're all familiar with into the numeric IP addresses that computers on the Internet use to talk to each other. DNS itself is a hierarchical system, with a few central servers whose information slowly filters down to the servers of the ISPs which we all use on a daily basis. DNSSEC arranges for data at every layer of the system to be digitally signed [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_signature] so that ISPs and clients can be sure of its authenticity. If it ever becomes neccessary to re-sign the root of this hierarchy, then at least five of these keyholders would have to come together with their parts of the recovery key, to decrypt the root key. There are various reasons why this might become neccessary, including incompetence, acts of terror, or planned maintenance work. The Internet could carry on functioning without DNSSEC, if neccessary. After all, it's not a big truck; it's a series of tubes.

 

[Dorian6]

This raises so many questions

Is each one a master of a different weapon or martial art?

Can they summon Captain Planet?

Will I need to defeat each of them if I intend to pursue a serious relationship with the person of my choosing?

 

[FURY_007]

Just want to tell you all good luck, and we're counting on you

 

[Poofs]

thats pretty awesome

Indeed. But I think we should rename ICANN to FCF (4-Chan Fighters) because if anyone is gonna cause Internet Terrorism, it's gonna be 4-Chan.

In all seriousness now, I am glad that we are preparing for Internet Terrorism. That was one of the major flaws of the internet, it had no defense. Now it does.

4-Chan would never attack the internet
they thrive on the internet and need it to stay organized
they would probably be the ones defending the internet

 

[Silver Patriot]

Interesting idea...

Makes me want to disable all ISPs to force them to use it...

The sooner you do it the sooner we get a movie about it.

"ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! I've had it with these mother**** terrorists killing our mother**** internet!"

Wow... So it will take alot of time just to reset the internets? I mean you still have to fly people into a secret base for the keys to be reunited, right? And what if the plan was foiled by these cyber-terrorists? I'm so pessimistic... :O

Oh crap. If the internet is already down, how will they book their flights to the US without Priceline and Orbitz?!

Epic quest?

Incredibly bad idea. Not so much the ability to restore the Internet, which might become an issue if it's dropped defensively by some kind of "kill switches" used by various nations during a global conflict just as easily as by terrorists, but simply in the choice of who is holding those key cards.

I understand the political situation, and why they are going that multi-national for trust related reasons, but if this is serious there is no way some nations like "China" should have a card holder. The Internet is about free speech and sharing information, nations that have draconian limitations on free speech and/or have been engaging in "national firewall" type programs to filter information should not be involved in this at all.

Some of those nations having key cards seems like a natural invitation for them to intentionally NOT reboot the system if there was a massive incident, which would play more to their attitudes and philosophy than recovering it. Not to mention me wondering if this is true (and it sounds kind of hokey despite everything), because depending on how much data is on those cards it also means that doing a reboot someone could effectively tamper with the entire fabric of the Internet. A nation causing an incident specifically so they could see their card used in order to change things for example.

As odd as it sounds I would say that full sets of cards should be in the hands of the US and Britan to act exclusively as the first choices for a reset. International card holders should only come into play if for some reason all the other ones were neutralized.

Terrorism aside, if a serious war was to break out neither side given the likely divide would be able to put together enough cards. That might be part of the whole idea, but at the same time that's inherantly stupid since the bottom line is to be able to bring the internet back up as I understand it.

5 out of 7 cards are needed and the base is in U.S. territory. I wouldn't worry to much about China having a card. (Though if that base became a primary target to control in a future war I would laugh.

Why does the US have to get the internet? Or whatever that meant. Seriously, wtf? The Internet is in a secret US base, isn't the WORLD wide web meant to be kept across the world?

Though, I could be talking stupid, I don't really much about how the Internet works.

Well the secret base has to be located somewhere. Besides they can't do anything without at least 5 of the keys which are all over the world.

Besides if I remember correctly the U.S. uses the internet more then any other country. Between businesses / websites and such. Also The internet was created by Advanced Research Projects Agency [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DARPA] (now DARPA) to maintain communication in the event of a Nuclear War so they most likely feel they are entitled to protect it.
---------------

Beyond everything else I want to see this as a plot point in a future Video Game

Fallout 4 I am looking at you. *HINT HINT*

 

[ShoopDaToaster]

moot for U.S. Internet Guardian 2010!
The person who made the internet hate machine shoukd be able to make them work to get thier internets back.
If they even want to.

 

[Crispee]

I should hope that the Elite Seven have the most powerful Pokemon known to man, or have the ability to transform into enormous monsters with difficult to reach weak spots at the bottom of their Labyrinthine houses.

 

[Dfskelleton]

Whoah, this just got real. Like the fitting picture too.

 

[Tarmon'gaidin]

Incredibly bad idea. Not so much the abillity to restore the Internet, which might become an issue if it's dropped defensively by some kind of "kill switches" used by various nations during a global conflict just as easily as by terrorists, but simply in the choice of who is holding those key cards.

I understand the political situation, and why they are going that multi-national for trust related reasons, but if this is serious there is no way some nations like "China" should have a card holder. The Internet is about free speech and sharing information, nations that have draconian limitations on free speech and/or have been engaging in "national firewall" type programs to filter information should not be involved in this at all.

Some of those nations having key cards seems like a natural invitation for them to intentionally NOT reboot the system if there was a massive incident, which would play more to their attitudes and philosophy than recovering it. Not to mention me wondering if this is true (and it sounds kind of hokey despite everything), because depending on how much data is on those cards it also means that doing a reboot someone could effectively tamper with the entire fabric of the Internet. A nation causing an incident specifically so they could see their card used in order to change things for example.

As odd as it sounds I would say that full sets of cards should be in the hands of the US and Britan to act exclusively as the first choices for a reset. International card holders should only come into play if for some reason all the other ones were neutralized.

Terrorism aside, if a serious war was to break out neither side given the likely divide would be able to put together enough cards. That might be part of the whole idea, but at the same time that's inherantly stupid since the bottom line is to be able to bring the internet back up as I understand it.

Okay I was actually agreeing with nearly everything you said but then you started talking about giving a full set of cards to the US and Brittain. So tell me what qualifies them to have that kind of power why not France, Russia, Australia, India, Japan or Switzerland.

Really please do tell.

 

[Iron Lightning]

oh ho, I smell a new internet meme.

And what is it? :O

I dunno, some play on that "Masters of the Universe" thing perhaps. Don't ask me, ask 4chan, they'll have an answer.

 

[z3rostr1fe]

oh ho, I smell a new internet meme.

And what is it? :O

I dunno, some play on that "Masters of the Universe" thing perhaps. Don't ask me, ask 4chan, they'll have an answer.

Mmmmmmmkay....
*Checks 4Chan*
OH SHIIIIIIIIII-

 

[sansamour14]

we must find these keys and erase justin beiber from the internet

 

[crazyfoxdemon]

I'd like to vote for zeebee1 as the director in charge of the world's forums..

http://z14.invisionfree.com/The_Fanfiction_Forum/index.php?showuser=6

 

[Mstrswrd]

Someone make a game about this.
Now. Do it. You know you want to.

Possibly a Danmaku game, though Danmaku has approximately fuck-all to do with this.
Nevermind, don't do Danmaku.

Do a cross between the straight-edged Sam Fisher model of stealth, combined with the batshit insanity of MGS.

Possibly a few scenes with heavy action a la Devil May Cry.

Yes.

 

[Deleted]

Hopefully we won't need someone to revive the 7 sages in a world dominated by trolls.

 

[Nightfalke]

This. Is. Awesome.

I am so going to hunt down five keys and hold the internet hostage for 100 billion dollars!

Technically, you'd only need 3, since 5 people need to be there at once to restart the internet. With 3 missing, the most they could ever get in one place without you would be 4.