This Man Has a Key That Can Shut Down the Entire Internet

Time.com ^ | 3-17-2014 | Laura Stampler

[servo1969]

Paul Klane, a father of two, was headhunted to be a part of the elite group that would be able to reboot the internet in case of a major cybersecurity crisis. And the man’s wide eyes indicates that he is keeping careful watch over his special key — that he happens to store in a plastic bag.

“Each of the 14 primary keyholders owns a traditional metal key to a safety deposit box, which in turn contains a smartcard, which in turn activates a machine that creates a new master key,” reports The Guardian. The master key is used to make sure that the domain name system (DNS) — a phone book of IP addresses — is authentic.

[servo1969]

Well, actually he has a key that can help shut down the entire internet. But that title wouldn't get as many clicks, I suppose.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

So, why does this guy’s office area look like a mock up from a Thomas Dolby video?

Something is very “obama” about that photo...

[tophat9000]

The dns is not the key to the internet..its the directory to the internet ..if you know the ip and port you can route to what you need...

[Bobalu]

Yup,and anyone can create a directory of ip numbers to names.

[chrisser]

Unless I’m researching something, I only routinely hit a handful of sites.

I could easily accomplish that with a hosts file in the absence of DNS.

[KoRn]

Much of this article is typical sensationalist media bullshit, written by “low information reporters” for consumption by “low information voters”. No individual, or group of individuals can “shut down the internet”. Sure, they could slow things down, or even render parts of it unusable for a period of time, but NOT shut it down. That’s like someone saying they can shut down AM Radio.

PS: That guy keeps a facial expression as if someone walked into his office with a Minigun pointed at him.

[bgill]

No one’s office is that sparse.

Hope one of our FRiends is keeping an eye on him and gives us a heads up.

[Chickensoup]

The man’s wide eyes means that he is hyperthyroid. Hope he is treated.

[dfwgator]

[Star Traveler]

Meet the seven people who hold the keys to worldwide internet security
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3134883/posts

[SoothingDave]

Awesome. I was going to look for that.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Well I’ve got a brand new
Global Internet
You’ve got a
Brand New Key

I think we should go to
Free Republic and
Turn them off you see

La la la la la la la.....
La la la la la la

oh

I’ve got a brand new
Global Internet
You’ve got a
Brand New Key

[SoothingDave]

That’s not an office. It’s obviously a lab.

[dfwgator]

Or somebody can just type “Google” into Google.

[zeugma]

DNS is critical infrastructure, but it can be pretty easily worked around with a little planning.

Put the following in your hosts file, and you're good to go for freerepublic...
209.157.64.201 www.freerepublic.com
209.157.64.200 www.freerepublic.com

There have been efforts in the past to establish alternate root DNS servers, but they haven't really worked out very well, because it takes cooperation. It would be really easy to set up something for a small group that would allow them to keep in contact in the event of a global DNS outage or something. Again though, it takes planning and cooperation.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

And he is obviously trying to blind everyone with science, yes?

[dfwgator]

[backwoods-engineer]

Nice lyrics!

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I could easily accomplish that with a hosts file in the absence of DNS.

Exactly. Which is why all this FUD over the UN 'taking control of the internet' is so much BS.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

“Have you tried turning it off and back on again?”