A research group headed by Dr Vinton G. Cerf has submitted a
proposal to Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) on a a communication
system to provide Internet-like services across interplanetary distances
in support of deep space exploration.
The approach to Interplanetary Internet (IPN), which is refered to as
bundling, builds a store-and-forward overlay network above
the transport layers of underlying networks. It is directed toward
interprocess communication, and is designed to operate in environments
that have very long speed-of-light delays.
The proposal envisages partition of the Interplanetary
Internet into IPN Regions, and discusses the
implications that this has on naming and routing. It also
discusses the way that bundling establishes dialogs across intermittently
connected internets, and goes on to discuss the types of bundle nodes
that exist in the interplanetary internet, followed by a discussion
of security in the IPN, a discussion of the IPN backbone network,
and a discussion of remote deployed internets.
It recognizes that that there will be precious, private
data flowing across the IPN and that.the Interplanetary Internet's
bandwidth resources will be precious.
It is interesting to note that even at this conceptual stage, the proposal
has already recognized the "Security Risks" in the IPN and assumes
that it will be a prized hacker's target at least from Earth. (What a shame
for the Earthlings to be singled out like this !!). It addresses both the
issues of protecting the IPN infrastructure as well as protection
of the data traversing the IPN.
It is therefore suggested that the IPN nodes will therefore need
to authenticate themselves to each other to ensure that they
are not being spoofed by an untrustworthy entity. Strict access
control is also deemed necessary because the IPN's space-based assets will
have limited resources available and because it will be a likely
target from a hacking perspective Authentication of identity will
be required to perform access control mediation.
To allow or disallow access to the IPN, an assured identity
of the source of the network traffic will be needed. It is envisaged
that the PKI system with some minor modifications to preserve bandwidth
usage could be used to secure data transmissions as in the case of
e-mails.
Some of the concepts used in the document have implications even
in the terrestrial Internet. For example, the IPN will work on hte principle
that only "Authenticated Persons" will have access to this "Interplanetary
Virtual Place". Having access to, owning properties in and carrying on
a living in this space is subject to the the continued "Access Pass". This
"Access Pass" will therefore be a "Inter planetary Netizenship Certificate".
If this is sufficiently in demand, "Banishment" from the virtual place
would be a "Tool of Punishment" to any offenders.
If one can control access to different parts of the Internet effectively,
"Virtual Property" "can be "Confiscated" and a "Digital Person" can be
"Arrested and Imprisoned". This will be the necessary condition for establishing
a working "Virtual Governance System" which does not depend on the "Meta
Society" for "Cyber Crime Control".
Behind this thought lies a path of a "Cyber Democracy" and "Cyber
Nationhood" which is free from the administrative controls of the Meta
society Governments.
Naavi
June 1, 2001
Here
is more information on the Interplanetary Internet
Comments on the Article can be sent
to Naavi