Internet’s Biggest Security Hole Revealed?

In a week of security threats, hoaxes and major concerns across the world, another article has hit the wires this morning claiming two men have found the biggest security hole in the internet that has ever been found.

According to Wired.com, “The tactic exploits the internet routing protocol BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) to let an attacker surreptitiously monitor unencrypted internet traffic anywhere in the world, and even modify it before it reaches its destination.”

Wired’s reporters went on to interview Peiter Zatko, a known computer security guru. “It’s a huge issue. It’s at least as big an issue as the DNS issue, if not bigger,” said Peiter “Mudge” Zatko, noted computer security expert and former member of the L0pht hacking group, who testified to Congress in 1998 that he could bring down the internet in 30 minutes using a similar BGP attack, and disclosed privately to government agents how BGP could also be exploited to eavesdrop. “I went around screaming my head about this about ten or twelve years ago…. We described this to intelligence agencies and to the National Security Council, in detail.”

In a week filled with cyber terrorism, cyber attacks and now large security holes revealed, most experts believe that the only way for customers to be safe is to demand to their ISPs that security measures be tightened and more money is spent for security.