Top 10 Ways To Destroy ' The Internet '

WHILE swimming in the endless sea of news, blogs, social networks and mindless ballyhoo - one has to wonder how to make it stop.

The internet seems to be all-powerful and indestructible - but in theory it can be destroyed in a number of outlandish ways. check out how could you do that ...

1. Cut the cables

To destroy the internet, a strategic starting point would be to destroy the undersea cables that connect every continent.

You could use submarines with giant scissors - but the cables are not that difficult to destroy. Earthquakes, fishing trawlers and shark bites have been known to cause breaks.

2. Cyber war

Cyberspace could become the battlefield of choice for countries wishing to gain the upper hand in an international arena.

Nations could deploy armies of hackers instead of armed military forces to disrupt communications, launch unstoppable viruses and take out sections of the internet. When two superpowers go to cyberwar, the cost will not be in blood, but in 404's.

3. Subvert DNS

Security researcher Dan Kaminsky last year stumbled across a vulnerability in the Domain Name System (DNS) that had the potential to destroy the internet's foundations.

The security flaw allowed hackers to potentially reroute users to any website or block access.

According to Securosis analyst Rich Mogull: "You'd have the internet, but it wouldn't be the internet you expect. (Hackers) would control everything."

4. Eliminate the hardware

Destroying the hardware that allows internet access would be improbable, but not impossible.

This would mean that every single online communications system would have to go down.

One way would be disabling electronics with an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) within a 10km radius. It's not effective on a worldwide scale, but if the idea can be manipulated for a global EMP then it might be feasible

5. Censorship

Both the internet and the World Wide Web were designed as open forums for free ideas and expression, but countries have pushed to censor objectionable materials.

Countries such as China have implemented strong censorship in an attempt to neutralize political opposition. This is dubbed "The Great Firewall of China".

Although censoring the internet only affects parts of the global community, it destroys the idea on which the network was created

6. Botnets

A botnet is the name given to a collection of infected computers (or "zombies") that automatically distribute malicious software, viruses, spam and trojans in an attempt to infect other computers.

The Conficker worm came from a particularly nasty botnet estimated to have burrowed its way into almost nine million computers worldwide. It had the potential of producing 10 billion articles of spam per day

7. Spam

Spam is an inevitable consequence of the internet with advertisers, marketers and Nigerian scams all trying to exploit users.

Spammers all over the world use thousands of zombie computers and in 2007, SophosLabs found that over a quarter of the world's spam originated in the US.

Not only is spam incredibly annoying, it may be used to transmit viruses, trojans and malicious software with the intent of corrupting more computers, turning them into zombies

8. Unstoppable virus

Similar to the scenes in Terminator 3, a self-replicating computer virus with the potential to distribute itself globally and become invulnerable to destruction may not only spell the end of the internet, but the end of humanity

9. Hack the servers

Internet service providers (ISPs) link customers to the world wide web. If they were taken down systematically, many people would lose online access.

This would essentially starve the web of users, content and traffic..

10. Switch off

Switching off means that if everyone connected to a system that accesses the world wide web turns off, it would become a barren wasteland of unclicked hyperlinks and unwatched videos.

So instead of viewing technology galleries you might actually be doing your work

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Top 10 Amazing Robots From Animals

Mother Nature's animal factory regularly cranks out sophisticated living machines designed to function in fascinating ways. So it's no surprise that researchers look to nature for inspiration when designing robots. 

The resulting machines that blend biology with computer science are called biomimetic robots. And it's not just their uncanny resemblance to living creatures that makes them special. These bots are designed to fly, swim, climb, crawl and walk into places that humans can't. Here are 10 of our most favorites ... tell me what's you view ?

1. We Have Liftoff!

Meet Carlton, an aerial scouting robot developed to support rescue and security teams. Inspired by the flying motion of flies and bees, Carlton can maintain speed and still move in the opposite direction. Imaging sensors are able produce photos of whatever surface it flies over. These photos can be used, for example, to assess the territory on the other side of a tree line before sending in real humans. Bzzz. 

2. Flying Spies

It may look like an adorable butterfly toy, but the Morphing Micro Air and Land Vehicle is a serious device. 

An air/land hybrid robot, the vehicle can fly into hostile areas, land, walk around and gather and send intelligence back to its controller. The controller can then assess how dangerous the situation is without having to physically send people in to do the data collection.

3. Slithering Segments

This modular snake robot, dubbed "Modsnake," climbs, side-winds and swims by moving its segmented frame and joints just like a snake constricts and contracts its muscles. 

Shown here in the lab and then in action, Modsnake can slip through pipes, chain link fences, rocky areas and water easily with its waterproof skin and wireless remote controls. Here's how it works: Sine waves are sent through the robot's body, propelling it either forwards or backwards. Linear progression of these movements can bend or turn it.

4. All-Terrian Vehicle

Inspired by four-legged animals, Asguard is a surveillance robot that can walk over multiple kinds of terrain and swim in water, much like how dogs and horses can. It can move indoors and out, and be sent to crawl around disaster areas to assess the conditions.

5. Big Wheel 

There's no passing IMPASS. With it's novel spoke-wheel mechanism, the Intelligent Mobility Platform with Active Spoke System, or IMPASS, can climb multiple steps at a time or explore deep holes with its long, protruding legs. The robot's rimless wheels and spokes that shorten or lengthen individually allows IMPASS to propel itself forward. Each foot at the end of its legs is equipped with a terrain sensor so the robot can assess its surroundings and maintain balance while recording the ground's stability. 

The Robotics & Mechanisms Lab (RoMeLa) at Virginia Tech believe IMPASS could be useful in search-and-rescue missions, anti-terrorist operations and scientific exploration. 

6. The Rock Climber

This four-legged robot can leap into action at a moment's notice, scaling walls (or stairs in this case) like a goat would scale a mountainside. Called ARAMIES, for Ambulating Robot for Autonomous Martian Investigation, Exploration and Science, the robot is part of the space robot series at the University of Bremen and was developed for exploring canyons and crater walls on Mars and the moon. 

Each one of its 26 active joints -- six in each leg and two in its head -- is equipped with position sensors, electrical current sensors and temperature sensors for analyzing extreme environments. It also features an extending claw that can help it rock climb walls up to a 70-degree incline.

Although Scorpion is in its third year of development at the University of Bremen, a copy of the robot is being tested at the NASA Ames Research Center to study if there are advantages for using legged systems in future missions.

7. Hey, I'm Flexible

Don't be afraid of getting stung, Scorpion is here to help. This eight-legged, walking robot  imitates the movements of the arthropod from which it gets its name. 

Controlled through voice commands and a data glove, this insect-looking robot has very flexible legs and a biological motor system to allow quick, smooth movement over all kinds of terrain, from hazardous to planetary. Its creators hope Scorpion can be used as an assistant to other robots for gathering photos and other data on space missions.

8. Double Jointed 

Another creepy, crawly insect-looking robot is the Multi-Appendaged Robotic System, or MARS, which moves very much like a spider racing along the ground. Its six-legged walking algorithm allows the robot to simultaneously change its direction, speed, height and orientation -- quickly adapting to uneven terrain.

In lifting its "knees,” MARS' limb configurations with individually controlled joints also allow it to adjust its gait to counter any "foot sinkage" on soft ground. It can even send emails!

9. Man On!

Meet our future fellow man : DARwIn

The Dynamic Anthropomorphic Robot with Intelligence imitates a multitude of human function, including vision processing, reaction, standing up, cooperating and coordinating with other robots (playing nicely with others) and, most importantly, walking and running successfully. It's used to study two-legged robot locomotion. 

Built with sensors in every joint and limb, a brain-like computer and cameras, this battery-powered robot can actually identify and process objects. 

DARwIn also scored big in this past summer's International RoboCup at the only American-built robot to challenge. RoboCup is a worldwide competition for robotics labs to build humaniod robot soccer players and have them go head-to-head in heated matches. Their hope is to create a robot time by 2050 that can beat real human soccer players.

10. Crawling Towards the Future

Toddlers can be difficult study subjects. They communicate and process the world differently than children and adults so it can be a real challenge to learn more about the way their body functions. What's the solution?

The EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) in Lausanne Switzerland has a student team working on a robot that has the size and appearance of a three-and-a-half-year-old child. Named iCub, the robot is a joint project between 15 different partners across Europe, including EPFL, to study how infants learn to crawl and manipulate objects, without the late-night feedings and crying.

The computerized brain of this baby bot was built from research gathered on the cognitive function of real infants. The iCub brain can think about several actions, choose one, act on it and then reflect on that action.

Source : discover.com

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Largest Virus Threat Awaited (9 Million +)

MILLIONS of computers around the world could go into meltdown on April 1 because of a deadly virus.

The Windows worm called Conficker could give a hacker unrestricted access to every infected machine on the planet.

And the aggressive bug could be hiding on your PC at home right now, waiting to kick in.

For the hackers, it’s like having a virtual army at their fingertips.

The criminals behind it have the power to launch a tidal wave of junk emails, bringing computers grinding to a halt.

They could also plunder information, including your bank details.

But the truth is that the best techie brains in the business just don’t know exactly what the hackers have in mind.

Infected:

Virus expert Mikko Hypponen, from the firm F-Secure, said: “It is scary thinking about how much control a hacker could have over all these computers. They would have access to millions of machines.”

Microsoft, who developed the Windows computer operating system, have slapped a £175,000 bounty on whoever is responsible, so far without success.

The sophisticated Conficker bug — also known as Downadup or Kido — targets systems via the web and can be spread on memory sticks.

More than nine million computers were infected at the bug’s peak last month.

And if Conficker is still on your system come Wednesday, you could be in trouble.

Once inside your PC, it sets up files and starts downloading information from a controlling “boss” server.

Finding that website and the mastermind behind it all is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

That is because the bug creates hundreds of bogus addresses every day to put investigators off the scent.

The infected PCs then form a network and “talk” to each other, updating and evolving.

The bug even attacks anti-virus software and other files on your computer to strengthen its position.

And it resets “restore” points, making recovery of your old system even harder.

The first of three Conficker strains was discovered in November last year.

A second, more aggressive strain followed in December and a third this month. This contains the all-important April 1 trigger.

Trigger :

To avoid infection, Windows users must download a special free update “patch” from the Microsoft website. But that isn’t enough — you also need good anti-virus software too.

Many businesses around the world are thought also to be at risk after failing to update systems.

Graham Cluley, from computer security firm Sophos, warned: “Microsoft did a good job of updating people’s home computers.

“But the virus continues to infect businesses that have ignored the update.”

He also stressed the need for strong passwords on your computer, adding: “If users are using weak passwords — 12345, QWERTY etc — then the virus can crack them.”

F-Secure’s Mikko warned potential problems with Conficker would be highlighted wildly before April 1.

But he said he didn’t foresee an attack, despite the fears and mystery surrounding the problem.

He said: “There’s always hype — just think of previous cases.

“There is not going to be a ‘global virus attack’. We don’t know what they are planning to do, if anything.

“I think the machines that are already infected might do something new on April 1.”

Let’s hope, for everyone’s sake, that it turns out to be an April Fools’ Day hoax.


TEST your system’s safety for free by attempting to go to f-secure.com. If you can’t, you can download the patch at microsoft.com to disinfect your PC.

Source

Top 7 Biggest Internet Threats !

The internet is filled with threats real and imagined, from malicious hackers to government censors.

Beyond the hacks and cracks — and in celebration of Sunshine Week — we've compiled a brief list of some of the biggest public and private threats facing the internet.

1. Warrantless Government Monitoring : Following the Sept. 11 terror attacks, the practice of wiretapping all internet traffic began in the United States with the Bush administration, and is now being defended in court by the Obama administration. All of the nation's major internet service providers are accused of funneling Americans' online traffic to the National Security Agency without warrants.

2. Private Censorship : From the mundane to the frightening, the examples run rampant. Wikipedia, the world's most trafficked online reference tool, is subject to shameful spin from trusted names of news organizations to the not so trustworthy engines of commerce. Among the examples, The Boston Globe enhanced the biography of a columnist while deleting information about his alleged plagiarism. Diebold excised an entire section critical of the company's voting machines.

3. Government Censorship : Reporters Without Borders reported last week that 12 nations — China, Burma, North Korea, Vietnam, Egypt, Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Cuba and Tunisia restrict internet access and often prosecute users for what they post online.

Even in democratic countries, censorship rears its ugly head. On Thursday, a secret blacklist surfaced detailing 2,395 webpages the Australian government is planning to filter from the internet. While about half of them dealt with illegal pornography, the remainder did not. Some of the sites were about gambling, dentists and even dog kennels.

In December, Wikipedia couldn't be edited by users in Britain. The entire site was put on a blacklist because it linked to the 1976 album cover of Virgin Killer by the Scorpions, which featured a nude young girl.

In the United States, a federal judge last year blocked WikiLeaks from operating in the country for a week after the renegade site posted allegedly stolen documents detailing individuals' Swiss bank accounts.

4. Deep Packet Inspection : Several U.S. internet service providers, including giants like Comcast and Cox Communications, have started inspecting the contents of internet packets, a practice (.pdf) allowing them to monitor, filter and ultimately control the traffic that passes through their pipes. In addition, online advertising services like NebuAd are paying ISPs to let it eavesdrop on web users via DPI.

5. ISP Tiered Pricing : Major ISPs, including AT&T, Time Warner and Comcast have moved or are gravitating toward pricing services based on the amount of bandwidth individuals use. Theoretically, the plans could unlock the internet door to low-income users. But we suspect the plans are designed to increase profits for ISPs as bandwidth use skyrockets — all of which may have a chilling effect on internet usage.
6. Recording Industry Association of America Proposes "Three-Strikes" Policy : The record labels are pushing for ISPs to ban service to customers the RIAA claims are file-sharing copyrighted music. Overseas, industry groups like the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry are pursuing similar efforts.

7. Digital Millennium Copyright Act Abuses : Unwarranted YouTube takedown notices by misguided copyright holders comes immediately to mind — including assertions by Universal Music that it need not consider whether a video, under the DMCA, makes a "fair use" of the copyrighted works in question. Google says 57 percent of takedown notices it received were sent by business targeting competitors and 37 percent were not valid copyright claims.

Note : Tell us what you think are the most threatening threats to the internet...

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