NETWORKS

How do we avoid the collapse of the Internet under the strain of more malware attacks at higher speeds?

Network security systems are under pressure. You might not be experiencing it yet, but you will soon. The dual challenge of dealing with more attacks at higher speeds threatens to undermine the stability of the most important commercial platforms of the 21st century; namely the Internet. 

What can be done to address these challenges and avert the economic impact of an Internet collapse?

The Internet as commercial platform

For many, the Internet is synonymous with web browsing, email and chat. But, the Internet and, IP-based networks in general, are now the foundation for a host of commercial services with significant impact on our daily lives. 

On-line shopping is familiar to many, as is net-banking, but the financial world has now become reliant on the Internet for executing banking and investment transactions, sometimes thousands per second. Government services have also moved on-line. The Internet is used extensively in education and healthcare to provide distance services and expert consultation. The advent of cloud computing means that corporations will be more reliant than ever on the Internet to support their business.

In short, without the Internet, our lives would come to a grinding halt!  

Cybercrime comes of age

The development of the Internet as a commercial platform has not gone un-noticed by criminal organizations, which are exceptionally innovative in finding new ways of generating revenue! They have displaced the amateur hacker enthusiasts as the key threat to the Internet. 

The open and global advantages of the Internet are now suddenly disadvantages as cybercriminals can attack from any location in the world, beyond the reach of domestic law enforcement agencies. 

To understand the scope of the network security challenge, consider figures from Trend Micro, a leading provider of network security solutions, who have reported an explosive growth in the number of unique malware samples (i.e. types of attack) over the last 20 years.