Internet Service Interruption due to Defective Network Management Cards
A single device on the corporate network had to be isolated as it was found to be transmitting invalid frame packets and consuming substantial amounts of bandwidth.
Internet access across the country was denied to the subscribers of Century Link, a reputed American telecommunications company. The incident occurred towards the end of the previous year and was caused due to a defective network management card. Connectivity at many 911 call centers was also disrupted.
The firm is a major player in the telecommunications market and the service outage raised serious concerns over system vulnerabilities that are caused by just a single unit on the infrastructure.
Root Cause
A single network management card at one of the company’s locations was erroneously emitting bad frame packets and as a result had to be disconnected. Secondary communication channels between specific devices also had to be blocked. Packet reception had to be altered by introducing a polling filter.
Such hazards implied further repercussions across the network including damage to hardware and malware incidents. The initial connectivity interruption at one location brought down equipment in various locations that couldn’t be restored from another site through remote access. IT engineers had to be sent to the locations to rectify the issue. 911 services, including call centers were brought down.
Image Source: https://istheservicedown.com/problems/centurylink/map
Mitigation
The organization also had to reach out to its external suppliers of tier 4 equipment for support and assistance as the business disruption had by now spread to various locations. The telecommunications company and the third party supplier were jointly troubleshooting the incident when it was decided to cordon off the single device from which the problem had originated. The strategy worked as the impact on operations was mitigated.
In response to connectivity disruptions across 911 call centers, police forces in various locations of the country had to resort to Twitter and text messages to keep citizens informed.
Preventive Measures
Router Configuration
Corporate networks must map to the specific needs of an organization’s business needs. Many companies overlook the importance of this factor due to budgetary constraints and opt for cheaper connections.
Audit
As an organization’s business operations expand in size, complexity and data volume, periodic auditory reviews become necessary to curb the occurrence of connectivity outages and security compromises.
Market Trends
Technology is constantly changing and businesses must constantly keep a tab on the latest innovations and developments for options that could add value to their resiliency objectives.
4G Router
Companies can also install a mobile hotspot or 4G router that allows employees to access the 4G network to perform auxiliary tasks such as making payments, sharing information through email and so on.
Multiple Connections
Despite the efforts of IT teams and service provides, internet connections do encounter connectivity disruptions every now and then. One solution that is gaining popularity across industries is the provision of a backup internet line.
Shifting to a backup facility can be time consuming besides costing the company a lot of money. An alternate internet connection, on the other hand, can restore operations seamlessly with virtually no impact on business.
Organizations must ensure that the two internet lines are from different service providers.
Businesses that simultaneously use two or more internet connections can increase network resiliency by adding an extra layer of protection through technologies such as MPSec that come with a variety of benefits, including secure data transmission and integrated encryption.
See for yourself how the application works
Witness our cloud based platform’s security capabilities in action
Play around with the software and explore its features
Compare and choose a solution that’s relevant to your organization
Consult our experts and decide on a pricing mechanism
Disasters
