Distributed Network Attacks are commonly known as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. These types of attacks take advantage of a company’s website, certain capacity limits that apply to any network resource, such as a government’s functioning electricity, water, utilities. A DDoS attack aims to exceed the network’s capacity to handle large numbers of requests and prevent it from functioning properly by sending multiple requests to the attacked network resource.

These attacks are generally categorized by Hacktivists as social, political, technological, natural, etc. It is done by claiming that they aim to raise awareness on any subject. The remaining attack types are known to cause economic damage by interrupting service.

Can DDoS attacks come in another form in the world? Are we ready for this different form?

How?

A nasty solar storm could cause an ‘Internet apocalypse’. Scientists have said for decades that an extreme solar storm or coronal mass ejection can damage power grids and potentially cause long-term blackouts.

Its repercussions are said to be felt everywhere, from global supply chains to transportation, internet and GPS access.

A severe solar storm that occurs about once every 100 years could lead to an “internet apocalypse,” with the next solar storm forecast cycle set to occur in 2025, according to a new study.

Earth’s magnetic field shields the electric wind from the solar wind, which is made up of charged particles flowing from the Sun by deflecting the electric wind towards the planet’s poles and creating natural auroras.

The study, presented at SIGCOMM 2021, stated that “due to the natural life cycle of the Sun, it could turn into solar superstorms that could cause catastrophic internet outages that could cover the entire Earth and last for several months.”

In the study, University of California, Irvine, and Sangeetha Abdu Jyothi of VMware Research evaluated the robustness of existing Internet infrastructure against such an extreme space weather event.

Long-distance fiber optic lines and undersea cables, also known as Coronal Mass Injections (CME), a vital part of the global internet infrastructure, have been found to be vulnerable to currents produced in the Earth’s crust by super solar storms.

Dr. Jyothi; “A Coronal Mass Injection (CME) involves the propagation of electrically charged matter and its accompanying magnetic field into space. “When it hits the earth, it interacts with the earth’s magnetic field and produces Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GIC) on the crust.”

The study noted that current from these solar storms can enter and damage long conductors such as power lines.

In short, it was concluded that there is NO OPINION around the world as to how resilient the existing Internet infrastructure is to the threat of CMEs. Giving an example of how catastrophic a CME can be for communications systems on Earth, Jyothi said the last major solar storms occurred in 1859 (the Carrington event) and 1921. Studies were reminded of the important damage these solar storms caused to the telegraph network, which was the communication network of the time.

The research also indicates that the impact of super solar storms will not be the same across the globe. He says internet infrastructure at higher latitudes above the equator faces a higher risk, and that the US is at higher risk of internet and power outages than Europe, while Asia is more likely to maintain connectivity.

Below Shows Worldwide Submarine Fiber Cable Map

Cable Colors Have Been Subjected to Different Colors Since They Are Named By The Region Where It Is Used And The Institutions That Carry Out The Cabling Process

After possible interruption; According to our research using the World Bank, ITU, Eurostat and US Census indicators, the cost of only one-day deduction (based on 28.09.2021) will be as follows.

After possible interruption; According to our research using the World Bank, ITU, Eurostat and US Census indicators, the cost of only one-day deduction (based on 28.09.2021) will be as follows.

Precautions should be taken against possible solar flares, super DDos attacks and major interruptions as soon as possible and solutions should be developed for fiber network structures. At the same time, national contingency plans should be put into effect. And such threats should be simulated at regular intervals.