The massive companies you’ve never heard of that keep the internet running
These little-known companies have a ‘secret grip’ on the internet
- Modern life is increasingly reliant on a 'cyber-energy-production plexus', a connection of telecommunications, energy, manufacturing, and service systems.
- This plexus is vulnerable to widespread failures, as demonstrated by the July 2024 CrowdStrike software update outage, which caused a global ”digital pandemic”.
- Key components such as tier one internet networks, cross-border payment systems, and submarine fibre-optic cables are critical and susceptible to disruption.
- Failures can stem from human error, equipment malfunction, natural disasters, or cyberattacks, potentially leading to fragmented internet access, financial chaos, and disruption of essential services.
- Long-term disruption to this vital infrastructure could severely impact daily life, critical services, and even cause fatalities, highlighting the urgent need for contingency planning.