Perhaps it just became the shortest hop and the routers sent it that way.
I know that I put Sweden on a block list for one customer when they introduce warrant less Internet surveillance a few years back, and found traffic routed through Russia as a consequence.
If that traffic went through China, there would be a risk it would be caught in their filter.
Traffic from major sites redirected to China
Summary
Workers at Internet network operation centers around the world are trying to figure out why traffic to sites such as YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook was redirected to servers in China this week.
Topics
Workers at Internet network operation centers around the world are trying to figure out why traffic to sites such as YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook was redirected to servers in China this week, giving Web surfers around the globe a glimpse of what Chinese Internet users see when they try to access those blocked sites.
On Wednesday, someone at Chile's Domain Name System (DNS) registry, the Internet Protocol (IP) address lookup system, said a local Internet service provider had noticed strange behavior and asked his counterparts in other parts of the world about it on an industry e-mail list.
Read: Special Report: Google-China showdown
Specifically, one of the main DNS root servers, called the I Root Server and operated in Sweden, was directing visitors trying to go to those sites instead to servers in China. This effectively sent people behind the Great Firewall of China, a strictly controlled network of servers and routers the People's Republic of China uses to filter the Internet and block its citizens from accessing content deemed politically sensitive.
Representatives from Twitter and Facebook did not respond to calls and e-mails seeking comment on Thursday night.
A spokesman for Google, which owns YouTube, declined to comment, saying "this appears to be a specific ISP level issue." He said it was not related to Google's English-language corporate site appearing in Chinese, Danish, and other languages on Wednesday, which the company attributed to a bug.
For more of this story, read Web traffic redirected to China in mystery mix-up on CNET News.
Talkback Most Recent of 20 Talkback(s)
-
guihombre26th Mar 2010 -
I can't agree with that
I bet we'll find out that the real problem was Chinese trying to steal information by directing buggy M$ winblow machines to rigged Chinese sites that would download code on to those systems so that they can spy on us!
Ron Bergundy26th Mar 2010 -
Hallowed are the Ori26th Mar 2010 -
What's Bott's Law?
I've heard of Godwin's Law, but not Bott's.
AllKnowingAllSeeing26th Mar 2010 -
Google is your friend
http://talkback.zdnet.com/5208-12354-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=71142&messageID=1370726&tag=trunk;content
7.1. The new Godwin's Law
Ed Bott - 11/02/09
As a comment thread that discusses Microsoft Windows gets longer, the probablity that someone will invoke Linux approaches 1.
BGunnells26th Mar 2010 -
I like this...
LOL. I like this, but didn't you just prove it by defining is? Also, the the inverse is true for Linux threads.
fromthehip26th Mar 2010 -
Only in this case it's a windows apologist posing as a satirist
That guy has for a few months been trying to use satire to make Linux look bad.
Fortunately for him most zdnet readers lack basic skills to detect that.
All I can say is this: He's light years behind Mike Cox.
Great Kahuna26th Mar 2010 -
Boy are you stupid!
Do I really have to explain everything to you?
Can't you see that you just replied to a satirist?
That's a satirist trying to make Linux look bad. Good grief.Great Kahuna26th Mar 2010 -
Hallowed are the Ori26th Mar 2010
-
Nice try. Unfortunately your satire is of very low quality.
You're light years behind Mike Cox.Great Kahuna26th Mar 2010 -
China spying or demonstrating its ability to spy on us
This should set off big red flags (pun intended)! They hacked IE6, and IE8 fell in minutes on Windows7, so the chinese likely have control of our routers as well....
bobdavis32126th Mar 2010 -
China spying or demonstrating its ability to spy on us
spot on. the sky is, indeed, falling. everyone should be made aware of the impending doom. keep up the good work.
jiagebusen26th Mar 2010 -
CNET Article
The linked article has more information but the same lack of conclusion. The article had comments from experts that ranged from accidental and sloppy to accusing China of escallating the spat with Google.
The end of the article makes a point that the internet structure needs to be changed to stop this kind of problem. The technology is not present to cut off accidental or otherwise misrouting or hi-jacking.
Assuming that there was no malicious intent; this still shows that there is a vulnerability to the internet that doesn't have a solution.
sboverie@...26th Mar 2010 -
RE: Traffic from major sites redirected to China
Snip : People's Republic of China uses to filter the Internet and block its citizens from accessing content deemed politically sensitive.
Probably in cooperation with the white house, going to outsource Tyranny 2.0 to the chinese, part of the new stimulus package.
TMANIAC26th Mar 2010 -
Huh?
wtf are you talking about, exactly? Is every topic for you somehow about Obama? Are you in love with Obama? Can't stop thinking about him and how much you love him? Heh.
justthisguyyouknow26th Mar 2010
Talkback - Tell Us What You Think
The best of ZDNet, delivered
ZDNet Newsletters
Get the best of ZDNet delivered straight to your inbox
Facebook Activity
