Internet

== Security ==
{{Main|Internet security}}
Internet resources, hardware, and software components are the target of criminal or malicious attempts to gain unauthorized control to cause interruptions, commit fraud, engage in blackmail or access private information.

===Malware===
[[Malware]] is malicious software used and distributed via the Internet. It includes [[computer virus]]es which are copied with the help of humans, [[computer worm]]s which copy themselves automatically, software for [[denial of service attack]]s, [[ransomware]], [[botnet]]s, and [[spyware]] that reports on the activity and typing of users. Usually, these activities constitute [[cybercrime]]. Defense theorists have also speculated about the possibilities of [[hackers]] using [[cyber warfare]] using similar methods on a large scale.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Andriole|first=Steve|title=Cyberwarfare Will Explode In 2020 (Because It's Cheap, Easy And Effective)|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/steveandriole/2020/01/14/cyberwarfare-will-explode-in-2020-because-its-cheap-easy--effective/|access-date=2021-05-18|website=Forbes|language=en}}</ref>

Malware poses serious problems to individuals and businesses on the Internet.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Kim |first1=Jin-Young |last2=Bu |first2=Seok-Jun |last3=Cho |first3=Sung-Bae |date=2018-09-01 |title=Zero-day malware detection using transferred generative adversarial networks based on deep autoencoders |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0020025518303475 |journal=Information Sciences |language=en |volume=460–461 |pages=83–102 |doi=10.1016/j.ins.2018.04.092 |issn=0020-0255 |s2cid=51882216 |access-date=2 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Razak |first1=Mohd Faizal Ab |last2=Anuar |first2=Nor Badrul |last3=Salleh |first3=Rosli |last4=Firdaus |first4=Ahmad |date=2016-11-01 |title=The rise of "malware": Bibliometric analysis of malware study |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1084804516301904 |journal=Journal of Network and Computer Applications |language=en |volume=75 |pages=58–76 |doi=10.1016/j.jnca.2016.08.022 |access-date=30 April 2022}}</ref> According to [[NortonLifeLock|Symantec]]'s 2018 Internet Security Threat Report (ISTR), malware variants number has increased to 669,947,865 in 2017, which is twice as many malware variants as in 2016.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Xiao |first1=Fei |last2=Sun |first2=Yi |last3=Du |first3=Donggao |last4=Li |first4=Xuelei |last5=Luo |first5=Min |date=2020-03-21 |title=A Novel Malware Classification Method Based on Crucial Behavior |journal=Mathematical Problems in Engineering |volume=2020 |pages=1–12 |doi=10.1155/2020/6804290 |issn=1024-123X |doi-access=free}}</ref> [[Cybercrime]], which includes malware attacks as well as other crimes committed by computer, was predicted to cost the world economy US$6 trillion in 2021, and is increasing at a rate of 15% per year.<ref name="Morgan">{{cite web |last=Morgan |first=Steve |date=13 November 2020 |title=Cybercrime To Cost The World $10.5 Trillion Annually By 2025 |url=https://cybersecurityventures.com/hackerpocalypse-cybercrime-report-2016/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220305072352/https://cybersecurityventures.com/hackerpocalypse-cybercrime-report-2016/ |archive-date=5 March 2022 |access-date=5 March 2022 |work=Cybercrime magazine website |publisher=Cybersecurity ventures |format= |doi=}}</ref> Since 2021, malware has been designed to target computer systems that run critical infrastructure such as the [[Electricity infrastructure|electricity distribution network]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Eder-Neuhauser |first1=Peter |last2=Zseby |first2=Tanja |last3=Fabini |first3=Joachim |date=2019-06-01 |title=Malware propagation in smart grid networks: metrics, simulation and comparison of three malware types |journal=Journal of Computer Virology and Hacking Techniques |language=en |volume=15 |issue=2 |pages=109–125 |doi=10.1007/s11416-018-0325-y |issn=2263-8733 |s2cid=255164530 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Razak |first1=Mohd Faizal Ab |last2=Anuar |first2=Nor Badrul |last3=Salleh |first3=Rosli |last4=Firdaus |first4=Ahmad |date=2016-11-01 |title=The rise of "malware": Bibliometric analysis of malware study |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1084804516301904 |journal=Journal of Network and Computer Applications |volume=75 |pages=58–76 |doi=10.1016/j.jnca.2016.08.022 |issn=1084-8045}}</ref> Malware can be designed to evade antivirus software detection algorithms.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spring |first=Tom |date=2023-06-12 |title=Obfuscation tool 'BatCloak' can evade 80% of AV engines |url=https://www.scmagazine.com/news/obfuscation-batcloak-80-percent-av-engines |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=SC Media |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Nam |first=Nguyen |date=2023-01-10 |title=Kiểm tra ip |url=http://kiemtraip.vn |access-date=2023-12-21 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Amos |first=Zac |title=How Ransomware Can Evade Antivirus Software |url=https://gca.isa.org/blog/how-ransomware-can-evade-antivirus-software |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=gca.isa.org |language=en}}</ref>

=== Surveillance ===
{{Main|Computer and network surveillance}}
{{See also|Signals intelligence|Mass surveillance}}
The vast majority of computer surveillance involves the monitoring of [[data mining|data]] and [[traffic analysis|traffic]] on the Internet.<ref name="sciam-internet">{{cite news|url=http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=internet-eavesdropping|title=Internet Eavesdropping: A Brave New World of Wiretapping|last=Diffie|first=Whitfield|author2=Susan Landau|date=August 2008|work=Scientific American|access-date=13 March 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081113212137/http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=internet-eavesdropping|archive-date=13 November 2008|url-status=live}}</ref> In the United States for example, under the [[Communications Assistance For Law Enforcement Act]], all phone calls and broadband Internet traffic (emails, web traffic, instant messaging, etc.) are required to be available for unimpeded real-time monitoring by Federal law enforcement agencies.<ref name="eff-calea-archive">{{cite web|url=http://w2.eff.org/Privacy/Surveillance/CALEA/?f=archive.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081025074518/http://w2.eff.org/Privacy/Surveillance/CALEA/?f=archive.html |archive-date=25 October 2008 |title=CALEA Archive|work=Electronic Frontier Foundation (website) |access-date=14 March 2009 }}</ref><ref name="eff-calea-summary">{{cite web|url=https://www.eff.org/issues/calea |title=CALEA: The Perils of Wiretapping the Internet |work=Electronic Frontier Foundation (website) |access-date=14 March 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090316041313/http://www.eff.org/issues/calea |archive-date=16 March 2009 }}</ref><ref name="eff-calea-faq">{{cite web|url=https://www.eff.org/pages/calea-faq |title=CALEA: Frequently Asked Questions |work=Electronic Frontier Foundation (website) |access-date=14 March 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501072553/http://www.eff.org/pages/calea-faq |archive-date=1 May 2009 |date=20 September 2007 }}</ref> [[Packet capture]] is the monitoring of data traffic on a [[computer network]]. Computers communicate over the Internet by breaking up messages (emails, images, videos, web pages, files, etc.) into small chunks called "packets", which are routed through a network of computers, until they reach their destination, where they are assembled back into a complete "message" again. [[Packet Capture Appliance]] intercepts these packets as they are traveling through the network, in order to examine their contents using other programs. A packet capture is an information ''gathering'' tool, but not an ''analysis'' tool. That is it gathers "messages" but it does not analyze them and figure out what they mean. Other programs are needed to perform [[traffic analysis]] and sift through intercepted data looking for important/useful information. Under the [[Communications Assistance For Law Enforcement Act]] all U.S. telecommunications providers are required to install packet sniffing technology to allow Federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies to intercept all of their customers' [[broadband Internet]] and VoIP traffic.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baller.com/pdfs/ACE.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120907032500/http://www.baller.com/pdfs/ACE.pdf|title=American Council on Education vs. FCC, Decision, United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit|date=9 June 2006|access-date=8 September 2013|archive-date=7 September 2012}}</ref>

The large amount of data gathered from packet capture requires surveillance software that filters and reports relevant information, such as the use of certain words or phrases, the access to certain types of web sites, or communicating via email or chat with certain parties.<ref name="usatoday-chatroom">{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/surveillance/2004-10-11-chatroom-surv_x.htm|title=Government funds chat room surveillance research|last=Hill|first=Michael|date=11 October 2004|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=USA Today|access-date=19 March 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100511220550/http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/surveillance/2004-10-11-chatroom-surv_x.htm|archive-date=11 May 2010}}</ref> Agencies, such as the [[Information Awareness Office]], [[NSA]], [[GCHQ]] and the [[FBI]], spend billions of dollars per year to develop, purchase, implement, and operate systems for interception and analysis of data.<ref name="zdnet-fbi">{{cite news|url=http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-151059.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100407040227/http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-151059.html|title=FBI turns to broad new wiretap method|last=McCullagh|first=Declan|date=30 January 2007|work=ZDNet News|access-date=13 March 2009|archive-date=7 April 2010}}</ref> Similar systems are operated by [[Ministry of Intelligence and National Security of Iran|Iranian secret police]] to identify and suppress dissidents. The required hardware and software were allegedly installed by German [[Siemens AG]] and Finnish [[Nokia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.debka.com/article/3509/|title=First round in Internet war goes to Iranian intelligence|website=[[Debkafile]]|date=28 June 2009|url-access=subscription|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131221173608/http://www.debka.com/article/3509/ |archive-date=21 December 2013}}</ref>

=== Censorship ===
{{Main|Internet censorship |Internet freedom}}
{{See also|Culture of fear|Great Firewall}}
[[File:Internet Censorship and Surveillance World Map.svg|thumb|upright=1.8|<div style="text-align: center">'''[[Internet censorship by country|Internet censorship and surveillance by country]] (2018)'''<ref name=FOTN-2018>{{cite web |title=Freedom on the Net 2018 |url=https://freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/FOTN_2018_Final%20Booklet_11_1_2018.pdf |website=Freedom House |date=November 2018 |access-date=1 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181101192951/https://freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/FOTN_2018_Final%20Booklet_11_1_2018.pdf |archive-date=1 November 2018 }}</ref><ref name=ONISS-Nov2011>OpenNet Initiative [http://opennet.net/research/data "Summarized global Internet filtering data spreadsheet"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120110211146/http://opennet.net/research/data |date=10 January 2012 }}, 8 November 2011 and [http://opennet.net/research/profiles "Country Profiles"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110826003215/http://opennet.net/research/profiles |date=26 August 2011 }}, the OpenNet Initiative is a collaborative partnership of the Citizen Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto; the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University; and the SecDev Group, Ottawa</ref>{{efn|name=ONIChildPornLegal|Due to legal concerns the [[OpenNet Initiative]] does not check for filtering of [[child pornography]] and because their classifications focus on technical filtering, they do not include other types of censorship.}}<ref name=RWBEnemies2014>{{cite web|url=http://12mars.rsf.org/2014-en/#slide2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312120731/http://12mars.rsf.org/2014-en/#slide2|archive-date=2014-03-12|title=Enemies of the Internet 2014: Entities at the heart of censorship and surveillance|website=Reporters Without Borders|location=Paris|date=11 March 2014}}</ref><ref name=RWBEnemies>{{cite web|url=https://12mars.rsf.org/wp-content/uploads/EN_RAPPORT_INTERNET_BD.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703221044/https://12mars.rsf.org/wp-content/uploads/EN_RAPPORT_INTERNET_BD.pdf|archive-date=2017-07-03|title=Internet Enemies|website=Reporters Without Borders|location=Paris|date=12 March 2012}}</ref></div>
<blockquote>
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-1-of-2}}
{{legend|#F9D|Pervasive}}
{{legend|#FDD|Substantial}}
{{Col-2-of-2}}
{{legend|#FFD|Selective}}
{{legend|#98FB98|Little or none}}
{{Col-end}}
<div style="text-align: center">{{legend|#e0e0e0|Unclassified / No data}}</div>
</blockquote>
]]

Some governments, such as those of [[Burma]], [[Iran]], [[Censorship in North Korea|North Korea]], [[Censorship in China|Mainland China]], [[Saudi Arabia]] and the [[United Arab Emirates]], restrict access to content on the Internet within their territories, especially to political and religious content, with domain name and keyword filters.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2&tid=12187|title=Access Controlled: The Shaping of Power, Rights, and Rule in Cyberspace|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604102753/http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2&tid=12187 |archive-date=4 June 2011|first1=Ronald J.|last1=Deibert|first2=John G.|last2=Palfrey|first3=Rafal|last3=Rohozinski|first4=Jonathan|last4=Zittrain|publisher=MIT Press|year=2010|isbn=978-0-262-51435-4}}</ref>

In Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Sweden, major Internet service providers have voluntarily agreed to restrict access to sites listed by authorities. While this list of forbidden resources is supposed to contain only known child pornography sites, the content of the list is secret.<ref name="The Register">{{cite web|title=Finland censors anti-censorship site |work=[[The Register]] |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/18/finnish_policy_censor_activist/ |date=18 February 2008 |access-date=19 February 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080220075300/https://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/18/finnish_policy_censor_activist/ |archive-date=20 February 2008 }}</ref> Many countries, including the United States, have enacted laws against the possession or distribution of certain material, such as [[child pornography]], via the Internet but do not mandate filter software. Many free or commercially available software programs, called [[content-control software]] are available to users to block offensive websites on individual computers or networks in order to limit access by children to pornographic material or depiction of violence.