Content Delivery Networks and clouds join MANRS internet security effort

So far, theinternet is holding upunderneath the unprecedented demands being put on it by thecoronavirus pandemic. But, as therecent Google services failurefrom a single router failure showed, the internet remains fragile. That's why theInternet Societyand theMutually Agreed Norms for Routing Security (MANRS)initiative have started theContent Delivery Network (CDN) and Cloud Programme"to helpsecure large hubs of the Internetfrom common routing problems."

MANRS is a global initiative devoted to building more resilient internet by providing crucial fixes to reduce the most common routing threats. Two hundred and ninety-three internet network operators and 48 Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) are already members. Their job as MANRS members is to address internet routing security problems.

As important as the Internet Service Providers (ISP)s are, over half of the internet's traffic currently flows through CDNs and cloud providers. You see when you visit a website now, chances are you're not getting the data directly from the page but via a CDN, such asCloudflare.

CDNs do this by gathering up data from sites, placing it in distributed caches and then sending you the page's information from the closest cache. Thus, CDNs and cloud providers exchange traffic, or peer, with thousands of other networks. So, in short, CDNs are as fully part of the internet's interconnection infrastructure as ISPs.

In recognition of their role in keeping the internet running smoothly, many CDNs and clouds are joining MANRS's new program. These include such world-leaders as Akamai, Amazon Web Services, Azion, Cloudflare, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Netflix. Other companies will join shortly.

These companies are agreeing to improve the internet's routing infrastructure resilience and security by taking the following steps. The first five of these six security-enhancing actions are mandatory.

Andrei Robachevsky, the Internet Society's Senior Director for Technology Programs, said in a statement:

Netflix, with12.6% of total internet downstream trafficin the first half of 2019, is the single largest consumer of internet traffic and sees much good from joining MANRS.

Gina Haspilaire, Netflix Open Connect's vice president and global partner engagement, said: