The Internet is a vital part of our everyday lives. Education has gotten better. The spread of information is faster. Ideas and interactions between unique people have become commonplace.
In fact, as I'm sure that you know, we would not be talking here on Steem if it weren't for the innovation of the internet. People from different parts of the internet, no matter their background, financial status, race, or any anything else, can come together and legitimately talk about the issues that matter.
However, there is one exception to this. The internet is amazing, however we should not be connecting power grids and nuclear power stations to it. We should not connect anything through the internet that, when intercepted or compromised, would mean the downfall of society.
With that being said, I doubt that we can go back now. This blog will cover just that.
The Issue
In 2010, a deadly computer word was uncovered by Kaspersky Lab (Although experts believe that it has been in development since 2005). Stuxnet targets PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) by exploiting four 'zero day flaws' in Microsoft Windows.
This worm compromised several Iranian PLCs, collected information on its nuclear program, and caused the centrifuges in the nuclear power plant to tear themselves apart. Not only did this set back Iran's nuclear program, but it also infected over 200,000 computers and 1,000 to be physically corrupted. In the end, millions of dollars in property damages occurred and the Iran Nuclear Program had a major setback.
The real issue here is that this was an American/Israeli cyber weapon. They kept the vulnerabilities to themselves, and caused Stuxnet to harm American computers. Instead of protecting their citizens from this deadly vulnerability, they instead used it to harm its enemies.
The Solution
Don't Connect It
The first solution is of course to simply not have vital devices connected to the internet. I do not believe that this will happen personally due to the fact that more and more of everyday things are being connected to the internet. There will be a time when everything is connected to the internet.
We need to prepare for the future and use a long term solution.
Use FOSS
The second option is much more future proof. Keep in mind that the vulnerability that was used was a zero day vulnerability in Microsoft Windows, a closed source piece of software that cannot be audited by the community.
The other issue is that the US Government knew about this, but rather than protecting their people, they used it against everyone. Until we can trust the government, FOSS is our best option. If the government is unwilling to protect its citizens, it is the duty of the people to protect themselves.
Free Open Source Software is the best way to do this due to the following reasons:
- It is free and will save money for businesses.
- It is not controlled by a single entity.
- It is controlled by the people.
- Bugs and exploits can be caught and fixed much faster than traditional closed source software.
- FOSS includes Linux, which is already a backbone of some businesses.
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