14 People Controlling the Internet?
Today, a little after noon, I decided to do a short routine maintenance on my laptop. One thing led to another, and the short maintenance took several hours. That's the cost of not doing it properly more often.
While scanning my system for stuff to clean up, I noticed this "did you know" message on my screen. Apparently a clever addition to pass time quicker, if you're counting progress percent.
14 people holding the key to the internet... I didn't know that, and I was determined to check if it's true.
I expected it to be something obscure and difficult to find out, but apparently it's common knowledge. Even mainstream media covered it several years ago.
What is this all about?
Internet addresses are of two types:
- computer-friendly (IP addresses, which are numerical in nature, like 193.203.45.56; this is an older ipv4 address, new ones ipv6 look differently)
- human-friendly (domain names like leofinance.io)
Every domain name has a corresponding IP address of the server where everything runs in the backend. And matching the two is realized through the Domain Name System (DNS), which keeps a record of these correspondences.
But how do we know when we try to access a website by using its domain name, we actually reach its server and not a clone with a different IP?
I am not an expert in these matters, but there is a mechanism of authenticating DNS records, called DNSSEC, which is based on a hierarchy of cryptographic keys starting at the root of the DNS.
These root DNS keys are managed by ICANN, and involve 7 people worldwide (+7 backups) holding keys and participating in regular ceremonies of changing them. ICANN seemed bothered enough by the topic to address it in a short post on their site a few years ago.
What they are saying in their response is true. These 14 people don't control the entire internet.
However, without DNS, or with a corrupted or manipulated/censored one, things won't be the same for the regular people browsing the web.
I don't know if all the key holders are publicly known, for example. And if they are, could forcing all of them to do certain actions have consequences on the integrity of DNS, or all they can do is generate new keys every few months/years?
If coercing 7 people could potentially compromise the integrity of DNS, that's bad news. But I don't know enough to tell one way or another.
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This is very interesting. Thanks for sharing. I was directed to this post from Listnerds email. Take care.
Thanks for dropping by. Listnerds is proving to be a great tool for boosting engagement.
Nice post Adrian. Certainly gives you something to think about, lol
I too found this in ListNerds and it got you another follower.
@listnerds just works!
Thank you John! Glad to see you again!
That's slightly terrifying LOL
And I mean, I'm no expert...But I'm sure blockchain can end up fixing this...Make the control go to more people instead of a select few?
Great insight man, thanks for sharing it and promoting the post in ListNerds!
From what is publicly known, I believe a smart contract could do these operations entirely. And the smart contract be controlled by a DAO. Problem solved.
Thank you for your interesting article.
DNS is going to be decentralized using blockchain technologies.
It will change everything
ListNerds is the good route.
Peace
That makes sense as we move toward building web 3, where blockchains are some of the base building elements.
oh wow, that's kinda scary tbh 😅
I guess this is another example of why we need blockchain technology more than ever lol.
It can be a little scary. Sometimes it's better to be ignorant - fewer things to worry about.
I don't even want to think about that. Our access to the Internet is controlled by 14 people. I do my best to stay on top of the internet addresses that I go to. It's just too scary to think about and sounds like a movie plot.
Oh, if that would materialize on the worse potential scenario, that would be one more example of life beating fiction.
Yes, it would! Have a great day! 😀
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Yes @gadrian that is a scary thought 🤣 but i would not be surprised.
We already have just a few people controlling the world as it is.
Makes sense they would want to continue to hold the keys to everything.
Have an awesome day😉
Web 3 will hopefully be the point where people start getting back some of the control in their hands. Thanks for your comment!
Let's hope so i feel positive about it
You are welcome @gadrian
😉
This is a pretty interesting fact for sure. I never even questioned any of this, just thought the internet was just one more thing invented by some random person and controlled by the governments.
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I haven't thought about this topic either until I saw it by chance on my security suite window. Internet WAS controlled by governments in the early days, that's for sure. Now it's more of a corporate control, through mega-tech corporations.
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