Buzz
The internet plays a crucial role in today's world. Without it, numerous businesses and jobs would come to a halt. It's no surprise that many would like to see the internet fall apart.
Ever since Tim Berners-Lee introduced the World Wide Web in the late 1980s, there have been several attempts to shut down the internet. Some of these attacks were orchestrated by military forces and governments seeking political power. Others involved a single disgruntled individual yanking wires from a service box. From unintentional cyber mishaps to thwarted terrorist plans, here are ten occasions when people tried – and sometimes succeeded – in disrupting the internet.
10. Texas Man Attempts to Destroy the Internet
In 2021, a Texas man was apprehended for attempting to dismantle the internet. Seth Aaron Pendley allegedly plotted to disable 70% of the web by targeting a Virginia data center with a C-4 explosive. According to the US Department of Justice, Pendley aimed to destroy the servers of the FBI and CIA. His motive was said to be a desire to overthrow 'the oligarchy' that governs the United States.
Pendley’s plot was revealed after one of his friends tipped off the authorities. Reporters revealed that Pendley was an active participant in extremist websites under the alias Dionysus – named after the Greek god of wine and ritual madness. On the forum MyMilitia, he discussed his intentions to 'conduct a little experiment' and boasted about bringing a sawed-off AR rifle to the Capitol building siege, although he claimed to have left it in his car.
Had Pendley carried out his plan, it wouldn’t have wiped out 70% of the internet. The global infrastructure is distributed and constantly backed up. Pendley now faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
9. Man Attempts to Wipe Out the Internet to Hide Embarrassing Video
Nobody enjoys being embarrassed online, but one man took it to the extreme in his efforts to erase a humiliating video. In 2016, a Chinese man known as Liu feared that a clip of him dancing would be uploaded to the internet. Determined to prevent this, Liu attempted to take drastic measures to erase the entire web.
That summer, after relocating to Weifang, Liu decided to join a public fitness dance, which is a common activity for middle-aged women in China, known as 'granny dances.' His participation in the dance amused some onlookers, and Liu later told the police that people passing by were laughing and recording him on their phones.
Liu initially dismissed the incident, but after a few months, he grew concerned that the video might surface online. In August, he decided to act. That night, Liu broke into four China Telecom service boxes and destroyed the equipment inside. His actions caused a loss of 10,000 Yuan ($15,000). However, Liu was caught multiple times on CCTV and was later arrested by local authorities.
8. Chad’s Year-Long Social Media Shutdown
From March 2018, Chad endured the longest social media blackout in African history, lasting sixteen months. Only 6.5% of the population had regular internet access. Families were unable to stay connected, local businesses struggled to market their services online, and journalists fought to make their voices heard.
The government imposed the ban as a response to rising opposition. President Idriss Déby was criticized as a 'democratically bankrupt' leader, with accusations of widespread censorship. His opponents claimed that he was desperately holding onto power, and that the social media blackout was an attempt to silence anti-government protests.
In a report, IT experts CIPESA stated: 'African governments with democracy deficits, regardless of how many citizens are online, understand—and fear—the power of the internet in empowering ordinary people to challenge those in power.'
7. Mirai Botnet Disrupts Dyn Servers
The Mirai botnet was a highly advanced cyber attack known as a distributed denial of service (DDoS). In this attack, computer servers are flooded with an overwhelming amount of traffic until they crash. Experts believe the Mirai botnet led the largest DDoS attack in history. Hackers took control of a wide range of devices, including digital cameras and video players, and used them to target Dyn’s servers.
6. Houthi Rebels Cut Yemen’s Main Fiber Optic Cable
Yemen is currently facing one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the world. Since 2015, Houthi rebels have been engaged in a brutal conflict with forces from a Saudi-led coalition. The Houthis have often used the internet as a tool of war, leaving the country in a state of digital isolation.
In July 2018, the country’s main fiber optic cable was severed by rebel forces, leaving 80% of internet users without access. The attack occurred as the Houthis were reinforcing their position in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.
“The rebels impose bans on social media platforms and deliberately slow down the already fragile internet service,” said telecommunications minister Lutfi Bashreef. “This is happening as reports indicate their intention to eventually sever the internet entirely to conceal their actions.”
5. Myanmar Coup Government Enforces Internet Blackout
In modern political conflicts, the internet often becomes a major battleground. This was true in Myanmar when the military junta took control in February 2021, aiming to stifle online opposition. The coup leaders swiftly cut off all mobile data in the country, followed by a disruption of wireless broadband services. Since the military seized power, at least 535 people have been killed.
However, the people of Myanmar are resisting the oppressive regime. On the eve of the broadband shutdown, a surge of individuals turned to radio stations and communication apps that function without the internet. Protestors filled the streets, holding a vigil with candles and declaring: 'We will never surrender.'
4. Morris Worm: The Unintentional Cyber Attack
In 1988, Cornell graduate student Robert Tappan Morris was working on a way to measure the size of the internet. Little did he know he would end up launching the world’s first cyber attack. Morris created a program that would jump from computer to computer, counting each one. Every time his program entered a new machine, it would send a brief signal back to a central server which kept count.
The trouble is his program, now known as the Morris worm, spread too quickly and ended up clogging up much of the web. The bug tore through the net, copying itself between each device and pinging back to the server. Morris had inadvertently invented the DDoS cyber attack – a type of digital assault that forces devices to overwhelm a server with traffic. His accidental offensive brought the internet to its knees.
3. Onslaught Against Internet’s Root Server System
In 2002, the internet was struck by what technology experts at the time called “the largest and most complex DDoS attack ever.” Cyber attackers orchestrated an onslaught of traffic against the thirteen root servers that, at the time, formed the heart of internet communications.
Fortunately, built-in safeguards prevented the web from being taken offline. But had the hour-long offensive lasted longer, it could have had severe repercussions for internet users across the globe.
Chris Morrow, a digital security expert, referred to the attack as "likely the most coordinated assault on internet infrastructure we've ever witnessed."
"The only way to prevent these types of attacks is to address the vulnerabilities in the devices that are ultimately hijacked and used for the attack," said security expert Alan Paller. "Once these machines are under the attacker’s control, there’s no defense left."
2. India’s Ongoing History of Internet Blackouts
India has emerged as the country with the highest number of internet shutdowns in recent years. These disruptions started in 2019 when the government passed a controversial citizenship law. Since then, the country has seen an upsurge in protests against the Hindu nationalist regime. In response, authorities often resort to shutting down the internet, claiming it is necessary to "maintain order." However, many in India believe these actions are aimed at curbing freedom of speech.
One of the most notable internet blackouts took place in August 2019 when Modi’s government shut down services in Jammu and Kashmir. Over 13 million people were disconnected from the internet for a staggering 18 months before services were finally restored in February 2021.
1. Saboteurs Attempt to Disconnect Egypt's Internet
Three scuba divers were apprehended near Alexandria after trying to cut an undersea internet cable in a bid to take down Egypt’s internet. However, the Egyptian coastguard caught the team before they could cause any disruption.
In 2013, the Egyptian Navy released images showing three men bound and accused of attempting to sabotage an internet cable. At the time, Egypt’s online traffic was routed to Europe via eight cables. While cutting one cable wouldn’t have fully disabled the internet, it would have led to a major disturbance. The men declined to provide any details on their motives or whether they had any affiliations.
