Re:Is an "Internet Kill Switch" Technically Feasible in the ...
by security_ish on Wednesday February 09, 2011 @04:32PM
(#2199448)
While I don't think it is technically impossible, I don't think it is as quick and easy to deploy and support as CALEA. For example...
- ISPs would have to be able to characterize all their connections and subnets as being part of the critical infrastructure and of which parts of the critical infrastructure those users or networks were members.
- This entails insane tracking and management - literally thousands of smaller CIP organizations might be served by one ISP - they have to know in real time what IPs/ranges/etc, and on what ports, those organizations are operating
- Central management or the ability to engage the 'kill switch' implies that there is some means of remotely (read: outside the ISP control) engage the kill switch and remove those organizations from the network
All of those points (and many more I can include later) make this vastly different from CALEA, where a warrant compels ISP personnel to engage collection on an IP or target of interest and to turn over that capture to the authorities. That puts the control in the hands of the ISP - the kill switch would put the controls of ISP assets in the hands of the government.
- ISPs would have to be able to characterize all their connections and subnets as being part of the critical infrastructure and of which parts of the critical infrastructure those users or networks were members. - This entails insane tracking and management - literally thousands of smaller CIP organizations might be served by one ISP - they have to know in real time what IPs/ranges/etc, and on what ports, those organizations are operating - Central management or the ability to engage the 'kill switch' implies that there is some means of remotely (read: outside the ISP control) engage the kill switch and remove those organizations from the network
All of those points (and many more I can include later) make this vastly different from CALEA, where a warrant compels ISP personnel to engage collection on an IP or target of interest and to turn over that capture to the authorities. That puts the control in the hands of the ISP - the kill switch would put the controls of ISP assets in the hands of the government.