Why Facebook and Twitter? Imported DDoS

The PC World article linked in the title (above) is just one of hundreds about the DDoS attacks on Twitter, Facebook and other sites (including Blogger). This is really curious because it is reportedly coming from Russia and Georgia. From the PCW article: "According to news reports and information from companies affected, the attacks appear directed at silencing a blogger in the country of Georgia who has been critical of Russia's actions and policies toward that neighboring country." (An article about the Russian issue here.) It was reportedly handled by zombies and bots. (For an idea of the size and scope of a zombie network, click here to go to a story on my other blog.)

Not being an expert on international politics, this seems to be overkill. If the blogger is that much trouble, why not pay him a visit? Again, not an expert, but that doesn't seem outside of how things are done there. I mean, if you can trump up charges on one of the richest men in the country to take away his oil empire and stop his run for office, try him in front of the whole world and toss him in the clink, then how much trouble can one little blogger be? Obviously, I don't get it. Maybe because he's in Georgia? They didn't seem to have any trouble getting their army in there. Hmm, maybe I should go the the Patterson School of Diplomacy and get the scoop.

What it does point out is the ease with which a small group can take out major hubs and cause huge disruptions. There have been warnings for years about an electronic Pearl Harbor that takes out our infrastructure. (Here's part one of articles about that at Network World.) There is precious little privacy or security in our wired and wireless world. Our governments have secret and clandestine ways to disrupt and end lives that would shock and terrify us all. Sometimes it's blunt and obvious as was the death of Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud who was killed when a drone lobbed a Hellfire missile into the house he was in (and that is not a criticism of our government, only an example).

Does this scare me? No, it's the price we've been paying for many, many years. To become part of the world, you have to open yourself up to the world, risks and all. If that scares you, never go online, never sign up for anything, never give out anything about yourself, pay only cash, don't use banks, grow your own food (cameras in grocery stores, remember?), make your own clothes (cameras there, too) and move out to the most remote area of Idaho that you can and survive off nuts, berries and leaves. You must get completely off the grid and hope for the best. Yeah, sounds like a nice life, huh? Me? I'm perfectly happy living in suburbia on the grid.