Internet version 2

Internet 2.0

I believe the world would be willing to pay for a new internet, one in which the minimum identity verification is two-factor or biometric. I also think that, in exchange for much greater security, people would be willing to accept a slightly higher price for connected devices -- all of which would have embedded crypto chips to assure that a device or person’s digital certificate hadn’t been stolen or compromised.

This professional-grade internet would have several centralized services, much like DNS today, that would be dedicated to detecting and communicating about badness to all participants. If someone’s computer or account was taken over by hackers or malware, that event could quickly be communicated to everyone who uses the same connection. Moreover, when that person’s computer was cleaned up, centralized services would communicate that status to others. Each network connection would be measured for trustworthiness, and each partner would decide how to treat each incoming connection based on the connection’s rating.

This would effectively mean the end of anonymity on the internet. For those who prefer today's (relative) anonymity, the current internet would be maintained.

But people like me and the companies I've worked for that want more safety would be able to get it. After all, many services already offer safe and less safe versions of their products. For example, I’ve been using Instant Relay Chat (IRC) for decades. Most IRC channels are unauthenticated and subject to frequent hacker attacks, but you can opt for a more reliable and secure IRC. I want the same for every protocol and service on the internet.

I’ve been writing about the need for a more trustworthy internet for a decade-plus. The only detail that has changed is that the internet has become increasingly mission-critical -- and the hacks have grown much worse. At some point, we won’t be able to tolerate teenagers taking us offline whenever they like.