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Internet Meltdown Predicted for Tomorrow

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the brace-yourself-for-fun-and-excitement dept.

Kobalt writes "A few news services are reporting that Russian computer expert, Aleksandr Gostev from Kaspersky Labs, has predicted that a large chunk of the Internet will be shut down tomorrow by cyber terrorists."

5 of 914 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Care to define that? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I've personally become entirely jaded by the term 'terrorist'. I've heard it used to describe just about everything that the speaker wants to scare you into believing.

    Officials of foreign governments are now terrorists, drinking a Pepsi at the Olympics is "advertising terrorism", etc.

  2. Re:Care to define that? by glesga_kiss · · Score: 5, Insightful
    It's the same definition as any other terrorist. "Any person doing something that upsets my personal interests".

    As Reagan said; one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter.

  3. Re:Care to define that? by Khomar · · Score: 5, Insightful
    I don't really know of anyone who is "terrorized" by defaced web sites and high lag times, but I could be wrong.

    If the Internet is your livelyhood, then the threat of being shutdown or defaced (thereby damaging your company's reputation) is very real. While it is not life-threatening, a successful cyber attack could be very distruptive. If, for example, someone was able to shut down a large percentage of the Internet, what effect could that have on the US economy? It would not take long for serious repercussions on a world-wide scale due to loss of productivity.

    No, they are not terrorists in threatening people's lives, but if they can prove that they can hit the economy, they accomplish the same goal: to create fear. Remember, one of the goals of 9/11 was not just to kill people but to hurt the US economy. Is this something to be worried about? What kind of wide-spread damage could a "cyber-terrorist" cause on the Internet?

    BTW, I realize that this was a mis-quote, but it does bring up interesting questions.

    --

    I believe in de-evolution. God made the world perfect, man fell, and its been going downhill ever since!

  4. Re:Care to define that? by ThosLives · · Score: 5, Insightful
    It would not take long for serious repercussions on a world-wide scale due to loss of productivity.

    Hrm... but what about those instances where loss of the internet will increase productivity? For instance, I should be doing work right now...what if there's an interesting balance that happens (no internet hurts some folks, but helps others) such that the net effect is zero? And what's more important - net effect or effect for a given individual?

    Now there's a philosophical mind-bender...

    --
    "There are a dozen opinions on a matter until you know the truth. Then there is only one." - CS Lewis (paraprhase)
  5. Nothing will happen and you know this. by DroopyStonx · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why is this a story? Seriously... This is pure BS. You KNOW tomorrow will come and go and nothing will happen.

    Might as well report that the Apocalypse is supposed to happen sometime between 7 PM and 12 AM on Friday.

    Personally, I hope it does happen. There hasn't really been any interesting attacks since Code Red. I'm always looking forward to what attackers will come up with next.

    If they could actually cause a "meltdown", then that would be purely amazing.

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    We have secretly replaced these Slashdot mods' sense of humor with a rusty nail. Let's see if they notice!!