The Egyptian government shut down most of its state ’s internet not by phoning ISPs one at a clock time , but by simply throwing a switch in a all-important data center in Cairo .
That according to a February demonstration to the Department of Homeland Security ’s Infosec Technology Transition Council , obtained by Wired.com .
The presentment – made by Bill Woodcock , the research theater director of thePacket Clearing House – argues that the Egyptian Communciations Ministry behave quite responsibly in the procedure it used to cut ties from the net , after the closing was ordered by Egypt ’s much - feared intelligence help .
“ Most of the outage was effected through a breakers flipped in the Ramses telephone exchange , and the rest was earpiece calls and arm - twisting , ” the presentment say . ‘ Ramesses exchange ’ pertain to a primal construction in Cairo where Egyptian ISPs meet to swap dealings and tie outside of the commonwealth , a deftness known as an Internet Exchange Point .
The report ’s timeline also contradicts many observer ’ conjecture that a diminished internet provider called Noor escaped the initial closure because it provided connectivity to Egypt ’s stock market and several government delegacy . According to the presentation , Noor seems to have been hunted down by the intelligence armed service , just like many other modest Egyptian ISPs .
Woodcock , an expert on net security system and infrastructure – peculiarly association hubs in developing countries – did not now answer to a postulation for comment on the document .
Most media reports , includingWired.com‘s , report that government officials contacted case-by-case ISPs and told to shut down their connection , under threat of lose their communications licence .
But the document ( embed below ) contradicts that narration , providing new details on the outage – largely laying the blame on Egypt ’s internal security overhaul , while describing the “ leaf - the - transposition ” shutdown as a “ politically bountiful ” choice by the Egyptian government ’s Communication ministry .
That ’s because turning off the net at the center substitution made it very light to switch it back on , forbid surveillance , made it clear to everyone what had fall out , and prevented spyware from being placed on the networks .
Compare that to Tunisia , where Facebook login pages were manipulate – presumptively by the government – to grab the parole of Tuninisian activist in rules of order to delete their accounts and protest Sir Frederick Handley Page .
The presentation intimate the calendar week - long closedown had severe effect on Egypt ’s economic system , in the curt term from passing of commerce , and in the prospicient term from a likely plumb bob in tourism , and an hegira of call centers from Egypt .
The display conclude that the ministry ’s track of action in obey the orders may have some positive effects in the future : “ Itʼs unbelievable that Egyptʼs communication theory ministry will ever be inquire to flip that flip-flop again . ”
Here ’s the timeline in the theme ( verbatim ):
Tuesday, January 25:
Amn El Dawla , the State Security Intelligence Service , orders the block of Twitter , which was for the most part achieve .
Wednesday, January 26:
The State Security Intelligence Service orders the blocking of Facebook , and DNS is obstruct but this is not completely in force .
This was the second clock time they had attempt to have Facebook blocked , but the late attempt had been successfully countered by the communications ministry .
Arrests of people stake to the El Shaheeed and Yom Elsawra 25 January groups on Facebook begin .
Friday, January 28:
12:28am – Breakers thrown in international rapture and internal IXP section of Ramses exchange , 3500 prefixes and 50 Egyptian ASNs swing to 300 prefixes and 25 ASNs . All of the big ISPs are offline : TEData , Link.net , Raya Telecom ( owned by Vodafone ) , and Nile Online and EgyNet ( both owned by Etisalat ) .
Morning –
Further ISPs offline , down to about 240 prefixes , and the intelligence service order wandering operator to debar vox servicing in some areas .
Wael Ghonim , a Google employee who was running the El Shaheeed Facebook group , is arrested .
Saturday, January 29
Morning – Mobile manipulator allowed to resume voice service and international SMS , but domesticated SMS remains shut down and under the mastery of the intelligence service .
Omar Suleiman is appointed vice president after having been denied that office several years ago . Suleiman had execute the Mukhabarat , the General Intelligence Service , since 1993 and Egyptʼs military intelligence service before that . Heʼs most broadly speaking recognized in the relief of the existence as the coordinator of the extraordinary rendition program .
Sunday, January 30
The news service begin astroturfing SMSes on Vodafoneʼs internet , over Vodafoneʼs objection :
“ honest and loyal men : confront the traitors and criminal and protect our people and honor . ”
Monday, January 31
Tarek Kamel reconfirmed as Communications Minister , while several of his cabinet colleagues are replaced with intelligence service service generals .
The intelligence table service continues to hunt down other ISPs , take down Noor , whose customer admit the stock exchange , major banks , the national airline , and government activity agencies . Only 12 ASNs and 130 prefixes remain .
Tuesday, February 1
Morning – Tarek Kamel announces that net service will be mend “ soon . ” In a separate boob tube
interview , select government minister Ahmed Shafiq is demand when and answer “ within 24 minute . ”
The intelligence serve continue to shut down stay ISPs , and proceed astroturfing SMSes :
“ Egypt ’s juvenility : Beware rumors and heed to the vox of rationality . Egypt is above all so keep it . ”
Wednesday, February 2
Noon – cyberspace armed service resumed , routing converges over the course of an hour .
The intelligence service continue astroturfing SMSes :
“ To each female parent - forefather - sister - brother , to every honest citizen : Preserve this land because the
country of origin stays everlastingly . ”
“ A wholesale monstrance starting at high noon on Wednesday from the Mustafa Mahmoud square in Mohandessin to support president Mubarak . ”
Thursday, February 3
OECD estimates the outage cost the Egyptian telecom sector a minimum of $ 90M.
Forbes ups that estimate to $ 110 M , noting that the OECD had not included call - gist revenue .
Omar Suleiman says the economic wallop on the tourism industry alone is “ at least $ 1B. ”
Saturday, February 5
All SMS services fix .
Tarek Kamel calls a meeting of call - center executive to attempt to assess the scale of losses . Vodafone , for instance , relocated century of call - center jobs from Egypt to New Zealand during the anterior week .
Egypt Internet Shutdown – PCH OverviewClick to view
Top illustration : Screenshot from a presentation to a DHS cyberspace committee on Egypt ’s January 2011 cyberspace shutdown
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