US internet 'highly resilient' to terror attack

Researchers claim that it would be "very difficult" to cause major disruptions to internet traffic

The internet infrastructure in the US would still be able to function even if terrorists were able to knock out key physical network hubs, researchers have claimed.

According to academics who have completed a simulation of a major attack on the US internet infrastructure, it would be "very difficult" to cause major disruptions across the country.

However, the research reveals that the destruction of some key elements could "seriously degrade" internet quality.

"When it comes to the internet, there is strength in numbers," said Morton O'Kelly, co-author of the study, and professor of geography at Ohio State University.

"There are so many interconnections within the network that it would be difficult to find enough targets, and the right targets, to do serious damage to internet reliability nationwide."

O'Kelly conducted the study with Hyun Kim, a graduate student at Ohio State University, and Changjoo Kim, assistant professor of geography at Minnesota State University.

The results were published in a paper entitled Internet Reliability With Realistic Peering in a recent issue of the Environment and Planning B journal.