Survival in age of pervasive DDoS

In this presentation, we will discuss a significant new evolution of the standard DDoS attack model which presents unique challenges for network operators and end-customers alike. Attack methodologies, the novel incorporation of both general-purpose computers and ubiquitous IoT devices working in concert, the use of in-depth reconnaissance techniques previously associated with online espionage and fraud activities, and discussion of the changing nature of attackers will be covered, along with a discussion of the DDoS detection/classification/mitigation techniques, enhanced operational capabilities, and new service delivery models which will be required to successfully defend against these attacks.

CES: Major IoT attack was created recently but not yet much used. Windows-based MIRAI IoT infection attack has crossed platform boundaries and is infecting IoT devices inside enterprise networks. The point of the talk is that the vast majority of enterprise networks are not protected since most enterprise designers succumbed to the delusion that the border firewall was protecting the routers and switches as well. 

Content Providers and International Transport

In just the past four years, large content providers such as Google, Facebook, and Microsoft have directly invested in 14 submarine cables The market's largest bandwidth buyers have now become some of the industry's largest owners. New undersea cable operators looking to share the burden of investment have welcomed this development as an unforeseen boon: content provider money has injected over $1 billion in international transport, and their bandwidth requirements have helped prop up demand at a time when traffic growth has otherwise begun to lag. But what does it mean for our industry when so much critical infrastructure is controlled by so few companies? This presentation will examine which benefits brought by content providers are real, and which are illusory. Drawing on recently completed primary research, the presentation will review the state of international transportvsupply and demand. The presentation will conclude by examining how content provider investment might affect prices.

CES: Telco cable use has collapsed to nothing. Biggest users of cable bandwidth are now content providers (new in the last few years). The more they use, the lower the costs are getting (not intuitive).

IPv6 DNS and Big Packets
Geoff Huston, APNIC

We are now at that point in the transition to IPv6 when we are hearing some ISPs talk about an IPv6-only service in the near future. But are we really ready? This presentation will report on the ability to send fragmented IPv6 datagrams though today's IPv6 Internet. We'll report on the results of a large scale measurement on the success (and failure) of attempting to send fragmented IPv6 DNS packets. The results of this experiment points to a need to reconsider how we should manage the DNS in an all IPv6 Internet.

CES: People are dropping ICMP packets which IPv6 uses to signal fragmentation required. This is a problem. Especially for a little service no one uses much called DNS </snark>

Cogent Talk

Keynote: Why the Internet is the only network that matters  webcast

Speaker

Dave Schaeffer, Cogent Communications

Dave Schaeffer founded Cogent Communications in August 1999 and is the Chief Executive Officer. Under Mr. Schaeffer's leadership, Cogent has become one of the world's largest Internet Providers. Mr. Schaeffer has led the efforts of 13 successful acquisitions, propelling Cogent's originally U.S.-based network into Canada, Europe and Mexico. Mr. Schaeffer has successfully founded and operated six other businesses prior to Cogent. These businesses span a wide array of industries from communications to commercial real estate. Mr. Schaeffer holds a B.S. in Physics from the University of Maryland, where he was also a Ph.D. candidate in Economics. His diverse background and entrepreneurial successes have enabled him to build management teams that constructed and operate the only facilities-based, non-oversubscribed multinational network of its kind.

CES: In which the Cogent CEO talks about how their business model evolved and what they are doing today. Plus some interesting predictions, including the possibility that some businesses may pay for your Internet to get your attention/eyeballs, or even pay you to use it.