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Do you know if the great internet blackout this September 30 will affect you?
An internet blackout is coming. This might sound like a sign of the apocalypse, but it is not.
However, it is true that on September 30 there will be a major worldwide blackout in which many devices will lose their connection to the network. This means that these devices will be "unusable" and must therefore be replaced.
We will talk more about the subject and in this way, you will be able to know if you will be "safe" from this blackout. So, stay and find out everything about this curious subject.
When will this massive internet blackout be?
This will be a phenomenon which is scheduled to take place this Thursday, September 30. So we already have it on the doorstep.
This is an event that occurs every many years and is due to the expiration of root certificates on systems.
What is this event about?
Explaining this phenomenon is not complex, the first thing you should know is that when a device connects to the network, it performs several security validation processes.
This is something that all devices do and it is an automatic process that you do not realize.
There are various security protocols and new ones appear from time to time in order to maintain security on the network.
However, when these protocols become obsolete, it is normal that in one way or another their support ends.
This is exactly what will happen this September 30 when the Identrust DST Root CA X3 expires.
This is a security protocol with some years of service and which is already obsolete. Once this certificate expires, all devices that use it will lose the ability to connect to the internet.
Which devices will go offline?
It is an old protocol, therefore, the number of devices that still use it are not too many. Among the teams that will be affected we have the following:
- Android devices with Gingerbread version 2.3.6 or earlier.
- Apple computers with macOS 10.12.0 and earlier.
- Any iPhone or iPad with a system prior to iOS 10.
- Computers with Windows XP Service Pack 2 or earlier.
- Playstation 3 and Playstation 4 with firmware version 5.00 or earlier.
As you can see, they are all old computers or that are using old firmware versions. So, if you have a new device, or older than 2017, you shouldn't worry.
However, even if you think that no one uses these devices today, the truth is that according to Google, around 30% of Android devices will lose their connectivity to the network.
How to prevent this blackout from affecting me?
If you have a new device or one that is up-to-date, you shouldn't have to worry at first. However, if you have an old computer, you should check the version of your operating system.
Many companies stopped updating older smartphones as they are considered obsolete.
Therefore, it is likely that all those computers will end up disconnected.
On other computers such as Playstations, this can be avoided by updating the firmware version to the latest one.
On older Android devices, you may be able to install a more current modified operating system.
In this way, you will be able to get rid of this problem. However, if you have a very old device, the ideal is that you renew it.
The most modern devices have the ISGR Root X1 security certificate, which is still supported until 2035.
