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Episode 2: 404 Error: The Day a Typo Almost Destroyed the Internet

Episode 2: 404 Error: The Day a Typo Almost Destroyed the Internet

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 On April 25, 1997, a simple configuration error at a small Florida Internet Service Provider called MAI Network Services triggered a cascading failure that nearly collapsed the early commercial internet. Reeves examines how a router misconfiguration caused this small company to mistakenly claim it was the best path to most of the internet, creating a "black hole" that disrupted service for major companies worldwide. The episode explains the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) that governs internet routing, the frantic response by engineers working through informal channels to fix the problem, and the lasting changes to internet security that resulted. The incident revealed the inherent fragility of our digital infrastructure—showing how systems built on trust and minimal oversight can be vulnerable to both accidental and deliberate disruption, a lesson that remains relevant in today's hyperconnected world.

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