The Foundations of the Internet

Smartphones, smart electricity grids, smart cities ... it is clear that a connection to the internet has long since ceased to be just for web-browsing, but that those connections are deeply intertwined with our society. And with the rise of the "Internet-of-Things", the degree of entanglement is only increasing. Consequently, even momentary interruptions in connectivity to the internet can cripple entire sectors (such as banking, for instance), with far-reaching consequences for our society. But what have we become so dependent on?

The importance of a well-functioning internet for national security is recognised by governments, especially as hacking activities seem to be on the rise. In order to protect our national security, it is therefore necessary to know what the building blocks of the internet are, what risks those building blocks face, and what the impact would be on society if some of those building blocks were compromised (wilfully or otherwise).

This theme evening addressed those issues and was held just steps away from the Amsterdam Internet Exchange, one of the largest and most important internet hubs in the world. The evening consisted of 3 parts:

1. We started with a presentation by Marijke Kaat, network innovation and product development officer at SURFnet, on how the internet works.

2. Afterwards, we looked at Interxion (data centre) to see for ourselves the equipment used to set up internet connections.

3. The final presentation was given by Benno Overeinder, managing director NLnetLabs, who discussed Internet vulnerabilities and how these can be captured in a risk analysis for policymakers.

Because of the tour of the data centre, the number of participants was limited!

When registering, you had to provide us with the number of ID card, passport or driving licence, with which you have to identify yourself at the
tour. Those who did not wish to give the ID details could not participate. All details
were deleted after the activity.

There was an identification requirement for participating in the tour!