Internet set for major attacks due to wider use
Internet set for major attacks due to wider use
Jan 11, 2004: Large-scale attacks will be inflicted on the Internet infrastructure over the next 10 years, according to a recent survey, which has studied the future of the Internet and predicted major influences it could face.
The Pew Internet & American Life Project, which produces reports that explore the impact of the Internet on families, communities, work and home, daily life, education, health care, and civic and political life, gathered results from 1,286 technology experts and social analysts, who responded to an online survey that featured 24 questions about the Internet.
A staggering 66% of those interviewed said that they agreed with the prediction that at least one devastating attack will occur in the next 10 years on the networked information infrastructure or a country's power grid.
One expert said: "A simple scan of the growing number and growing sophistication of the viral critters already populating our networks is ample evidence of the capacity and motivation to disrupt."
In addition to the results of these fears, 59% of the experts agreed that more government and business surveillance will happen as computing devices proliferate and become embedded in appliances, cars, phones and even clothes.
57% of them agreed that virtual will become more widespread in formal education and that students might at least occasionally be grouped with others who share their interests and skills, rather than their age.
Here are some of the views from the experts: "Connections across media, entertainment, advertising, and commerce will become stronger with future margins going to a new breed of 'digital media titans'...Well-branded innovators such as Google and Starbucks have a chance to build all-new distribution models tied to ad revenue and retails sales."
"Health care is approximately 10 years behind other endeavours in being transformed, and will experience its boom in the next 10 years."
"Government will be forced to become increasingly transparent, accessible over the Net, and almost impenetrable if you're not on the Net."
Overall, the experts have been impressed with the development of the Internet and the explosion of information sources on top of the basic Internet backbone. In addition, they are pleased with the improvements of online search technology, the spread of peer-to-peer networks and the rise of blogs.
However, they were surprised that education institutions have changed so little, despite the expectation 10 years ago of the this institutions to embrace the changes offered by the Internet. They are also disappointed that low-income earners and people in rural areas do not have as much access to the Internet as other groups.
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