The dangers of centralized information

[Sumthinwicked]

There will be hardcopies then as well.

We prepare tax returns on computers (duh) and they're stored on a server in the office that is supposedly isolated from the internet (along with our in-house data) - so should something happen, those should be safe. If not, tape backups. We store a lot of our documents from clients with an online repository who also takes similar data security steps, so same deal there.

I'd expect most companies take measures to protect their information from something cataclysmic. Should something destroy everything world wide, it'd most likely be calamity for a week or two before everybody can get back online, but I don't think the world's knowledge will be lost.

in respect to urself and anyone reading this the colapse of the net is what we are talking about for example someone developes an emp device and employes it on the US that means computer repositories connected or not are LOST then what runs ur tape machine ur non attached computers would not WORK ....

[Hexis]

If someone could knock out all electronic devices in the US, the least of our worries would be banking records.

Doomsday scenarios are really fun for fiction, not so useful for a realistic discussion.

[Sumthinwicked]

true but i didnt ask the question ...... just backing up the what if yea know

[Lohman446]

A) I've learned two points I did not know, one being about how isolated each "switch" or whatever you want to call it is.

I do think it conceivable though for a worm or trojan or something to cause a massive denial of service attack that might make it incredibly unlikely to be able to access data like we are used to.

I was thinking about how much information was lost when Rome pulled out of Europe, and how quickly society "plunged". Remember the great Roman empire existed before the "dark ages" and was a great society. I was thinking about one of the things they took with them when they withdrew and one was knowledge, and the "quick" dissemination of knowledge.

/Look... my other topic I was considering was bemoaning the effects of sliced bread on society, you guys got this one for discussion instead, be thankful

[teufelhunden]

in respect to urself and anyone reading this the colapse of the net is what we are talking about for example someone developes an emp device and employes it on the US that means computer repositories connected or not are LOST then what runs ur tape machine ur non attached computers would not WORK ....

That was not the original topic of discussion. The topic was regarding what happened if the internet went away and gathering information via the internet was therefore impossible. Not "what happens if none of the computers work anymore"

I'm almost embarrassed posting this with all the red underlines (Firefox) but I can take solace in them not being mine, I guess...

[Sumthinwicked]

That was not the original topic of discussion. The topic was regarding what happened if the internet went away and gathering information via the internet was therefore impossible. Not "what happens if none of the computers work anymore"

I'm almost embarrassed posting this with all the red underlines (Firefox) but I can take solace in them not being mine, I guess...

im at work and i type fast ....

[Hexis]

I do think it conceivable though for a worm or trojan or something to cause a massive denial of service attack that might make it incredibly unlikely to be able to access data like we are used to.

How so? Which part of the Internet would the DDoS attack and take down the entire Internet? Not doomsday crazy, but some semi plausible scenario.

[Sumthinwicked]

firesale ;P no power no net ......

[Lohman446]

How so? Which part of the Internet would the DDoS attack and take down the entire Internet? Not doomsday crazy, but some semi plausible scenario.

If I can deny service to a certain internet website, or to a provider (such as AT&T claims 4chan tried) can I not deny it in the whole?

Serious question, I will admit to not knowing how it works, I am working on that assumption.

[Coralis]

I would think a large scale cyber attack on the power grid would be far more disrupting in the short term.