Global Internet to be down for next 48 hours: What to expect and why

New Delhi: Internet users across the globe, including India, can face a break in connectivity as the key domain servers are expected to undergo routine maintenance over the next 48 hours.

"To further clarify, some internet users might be affected if their network operators or Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have not prepared for this change. However, this impact can be avoided by enabling the appropriate system security extensions," said the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) in a statement.

The CRA was established in 2003 in Iran with the aim to execute governmental powers as well as supervision and executive powers of the concerned ministry in the sector of Radio and Communication Regulatory.

Here is all you need to know: 

1. There can be network connection failure during this time. Moreover, users can also face trouble accessing web pages and making transactions.

2. The Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) will be carrying out the maintenance work. 

ICANN is a nonprofit organization responsible for coordinating the maintenance and procedures of several databases in the global Internet ecosystem. 

3. The cryptographic key that protects the Domain Name System (DNS) will be changed during the maintenance.

The DNS can be defined as the phonebook of the Internet. The DNS converts hostname, such as www.mynation.com into an IP address, which is computer friendly and is necessary to find the appropriate Internet device. In other words, whenever we want to load a webpage, a translation like this must occur. 

4. The CRA said that this maintenance work is necessary for ensuring a secure, stable and resilient DNS.

5. This is also mandatory to tackle the rise of cyber-attacks in recent times, said the ICANN.

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