Mike Dano’s Post

Unpacking the Optus Outage: A Call for Enhanced Network Resilience and Security The recent Optus outage, caused by default settings in Cisco edge routers, has brought to light the vulnerabilities in Australia's telecommunications infrastructure. This incident, which led to the shutdown of about 90 routers nationwide, underscores the importance of the work undertaken by the Cyber and Infrastructure Security Centre (CISC). Established in September 2021, CISC is dedicated to enhancing the security and resilience of Australia's critical infrastructure and systems of national significance. In December 2021, the Australian Government further strengthened this commitment by passing the Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Act 2021, which aims to bolster national security measures against various threats, including cyber, insider, supply chain, and physical attacks. The Optus outage illustrates the complex challenges faced by telecommunications providers in safeguarding their networks against such threats. CISC's role in assisting infrastructure owners and operators to understand risk and meet regulatory requirements is more crucial than ever. The Centre's efforts, along with the 2023 Critical Infrastructure Resilience Strategy, provide a national framework guiding Australia towards enhanced critical infrastructure security and resilience. As professionals in the industry, it is vital to recognise the importance of aligning our strategies with these national efforts. The Optus incident is a stark reminder of the potential impacts of network vulnerabilities on the nation. It prompts us to consider how our own practices and systems can be improved in collaboration with agencies like CISC to ensure the security and resilience of our critical infrastructure. I invite you to share your insights on this topic. How can we, as leaders in technology and enterprise architecture, contribute to strengthening our nation's telecommunications infrastructure against such unforeseen incidents? #CyberSecurity #Telecommunications #CISC #Resilience #EnterpriseArchitecture #OptusOutage

AT&T Outage Likely Caused by Internal Error, Not Hackers February 23, 2024  Thedailycourierng Telecom giant AT&T experienced a major service outage yesterday that left many thousands of customers without working cell phone service for several hours. AT&T says an initial investigation suggests the outage was probably caused by an internal process failure in their own systems, rather than any outside cyberattack. The problems began early Thursday morning around 4am Eastern Time. Tens of thousands of AT&T subscribers found themselves unable to make calls, send texts, or access the internet on their phones. Outage reports spiked further at 7am and again just before 8. Most issues seemed concentrated in major metro areas like Houston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and Atlanta. Other big cell carriers like Verizon, T-Mobile and Cricket Wireless also saw some outages. But those companies said it was only customers trying unsuccessfully to reach unreachable AT&T mobile users. By Thursday afternoon, AT&T announced service had been fully restored for all affected consumers nationwide. In a follow-up statement, AT&T offered a preliminary explanation that human error was likely at fault. They believe incorrect processes applied while trying to upgrade their cell network infrastructure accidentally disrupted services. The company sincerely apologized to customers and pledged steps to prevent such outages going forward. The outage raised concerns about access to emergency 911 phone services. Some police departments reminded AT&T users that if they couldn’t call 911 from their mobile devices, they should try landline phones if possible. Where unavailable, they recommended asking friends on other networks to call on their behalf. Public safety agencies stressed that 911 systems stayed operational locally throughout the incident. They discouraged the public from calling to test if their AT&T phone service had been restored. 911 is only for actual emergencies. Though no evidence points to hackers, the scale of the outage drew federal investigation from agencies like the FBI. Exactly how human error interrupted AT&T mobile services systemwide remains unexplained. But complex networks like AT&T’s have many delicate internal processes that if inadvertently disrupted could spiral into widespread access failures. The key takeaway for consumers is that even innovative modern wireless companies can suffer major tech mishaps internally. But with sufficient transparency and accountability to users impacted, their loyalty and business can be maintained. AT&T appears committed to identifying their own mistakes and preventing any repeats in their mission to keep Americans connected. For now, mobile users across the country can breathe easier and return focus to their resorted wireless lifelines. #AT&T #TELECOM

Sure what can go wrong ? Do you need "Always On" internet access ? We can help with high-availability solutions for your business to minimise your risk of downtime but unfortunately we can't control the rest of the world ! Get in contact today #smarthotspots #ManagedInternetAccess The phrase "the internet breaks" is often used colloquially to describe situations where the internet or specific services experience outages or disruptions. The internet itself, as a global network of interconnected computer networks, doesn't "break" in the sense of physically breaking like a physical object. Instead, internet disruptions can occur due to various reasons, including: ✔Hardware Failures: Internet infrastructure relies on physical hardware such as routers, switches, and servers. If any of these components fail or malfunction, it can lead to connectivity issues or service disruptions. ✔Software Issues: Problems with software configurations, updates, or bugs can cause services or certain websites to become temporarily inaccessible or behave erratically. ✔Network Congestion: High levels of internet traffic, especially during peak usage times or in certain regions, can lead to congestion and slower internet speeds. ✔Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks: These attacks involve overwhelming a target's servers or network with a flood of traffic from multiple sources, causing services to be unavailable. ✔Fiber Cuts and Physical Damage: Physical damage to the undersea cables, fiber optic lines, or other infrastructure can disrupt internet connectivity between different regions. ✔Power Outages: If data centers, network equipment, or internet exchange points lose power, it can lead to temporary outages. ✔Configuration Errors: Mistakes in configuring network equipment or servers can lead to unintended consequences and disruptions. ✔Malware or Hacking Incidents: Cyberattacks that compromise systems can disrupt services, compromise data, or lead to temporary shutdowns to contain the threats. ✔ISP Issues: Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can experience technical problems, causing their customers to lose internet connectivity. ✔Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, or other natural disasters can physically damage infrastructure and cause widespread outages. It's important to note that the internet is designed to be resilient, and efforts are made to minimise disruptions through redundant infrastructure and failover mechanisms. However, occasional outages can still occur due to the complexity of the global network and the many interconnected components involved.

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Is your Wi-Fi network performing at its best? Wireless assessments can identify vulnerabilities and optimize for peak performance. Regular assessments are key to prioritizing network health. #WIFI #Wireless #ITSupport #Durham #MSP Learn more: https://hubs.ly/Q020mRqs0

SASE: broad protection—virtually anywhere. "In a survey Recon Analytics conducted in August of this year, 54% of business respondents said mobile network operators were their first choice for purchasing end-to-end security services. Of the 54% group, 25% said they were very likely to consider end-to-end network security from a mobile service provider as a factor in switching from their current mobile provider. Another 29% said they were likely to make the same consideration. Clearly, there is customer demand for what T-Mobile wants to sell. This simplifies the commercial proposition for the operator. Other service providers looking to offer network slicing would be smart to follow T-Mobile’s approach." Fierce Wireless. T-Mobile uses network slicing on its nationwide 5G standalone network to enable its new SASE solution. https://lnkd.in/gv4vp47W

Unlock Enhanced Security and Flexibility 🌟 Private LTE isn't just a network—it's a revolution in secure, flexible communications for businesses and industries. Find out how to take control of your network's QoS, security, and band frequencies. #SecureConnectivity #FlexibleSolutions https://lnkd.in/ezbpkT6T

As an additional thought - whilst you are looking at continuity of service - it is also possible to embed apps on the SIM card which can essentially monitor your providers quality of service - so maybe you can look at an sla with your provider too - after all your comms affects your productivity and ability to add value to most things in your life - and maybe you can tie the sla into a financial reward?

I woke early Wednesday morning, poured a coffee down my throat, zipped up my suitcase, and was ready to call my ride to the airport. Outages happen. But it's not every day that a whole telecom network goes offline nation-wide for the best part of a day. That means mobile internet, landline, and home internet were all down. Without internet, my Wednesday morning didn’t go exactly to plan, but I did make it on my flight with about 5 minutes to spare. 🍀 It was only when I landed 🛬 that I realised it wasn’t just my neighbourhood, and it wasn’t just Brisbane. *So why did this happen?* Networks are (typically) designed with robust backup and resilience features. Before updating software, there's usually a lot of testing and thorough approval processes in place. Good IT governance also includes having a fail-safe: backup systems that can be activated following faulty software updates, either automatically or through a manual process, just in case it doesn’t quite go as planned.. *What does this mean for you?* It’s a good time to look at your IT governance processes and BCP (Business Continuity Plan). When was the last time you reviewed yours? Are the stakeholders all aware of their responsibilities? And will they remember them, if they can’t access them online?

Pls. read my article at LinkedIn , since outage happened due to Packet core upgrade which Cisco should have done it.. To save cost Singtel engineers try to do it without knowing the complexity and danger that come with Core upgrade. BGP routing is complex and need to understand the core protocols that are existing and any wrong routing information requests and how to tackle them.. Bankers cannot run the telco environment and Optus needs to answer to the public. Hiring cheap engineers and head of engineering with mobile background does not help either.