Last updated on July 28th, 2021
36. The internet stores data worth more than 1,200 petabytes. This is approximately equivalent to 1.2 million terabytes of data. Even so, this is an estimate that is only based on the 4 biggest websites on the internet that include Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and Amazon.
37. The double slash (//) on internet URLs is unnecessary. This is according to Bernes-Lee, the world wide web inventor who says he regrets adding the double slash on URLs.
38. Taiwan and Yemen are the countries with the highest and lowest internet speeds respectively. More specifically, while the average internet speed in Taiwan is 85.02 Mbps, it is only 0.38 Mbps in Yemen.
39. Internet outages cost a lot. It not only causes businesses to lose a lot of revenue but also inconveniences students, researchers, scientists, and any other professionals who highly rely on the internet to effectively perform their duties. In fact, a 24-hour internet outage is equivalent to the suspension of 3 billion Google searches and delivery of 196 billion emails.
40. The average internet speed of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is 91 gigabytes per second. This is 17,800 faster than what an average American consumer uses to browse.
41. The Webcam was originally invented to enable constant monitoring of a coffee pot. More specifically, students at Cambridge University in England used to find an empty coffee pot every time they went to fill their mugs. To solve this, they created a webcam that would enable them to keep eye on the coffee pot through their desktop computers in the office.
42. Facebook was initially created to facilitate interactions among Harvard University students using .edu email addresses and photos. Mark Zuckerberg later introduced this social interaction tool to the internet, resulting in the birth of Facebook, which was formerly known as “The Facebook.”
43. Estonia was the first country to ever hold general elections via the internet. The citizens’ identification cards contain chips carrying public-private key pairs. With these chips, ID cardholders can electronically sign digital documents and cast votes through the internet.
Internet Crime
44. While the internet has transformed the world to become better, it is also the reason for the rise of cybercrimes. For instance, according to the Small Business Trends (SBT), at least 40% of cyberattacks target small businesses in the US and beyond. Cybercrime is, so far, the second most reported economic crime in the US.
45. On average, cybercriminals launch about 4,000 ransomware attacks every day and demand at least $1,000 worth of ransom per attack.
46. Yahoo suffered a major data breach in 2013 that led to the exposure of birth dates, security questions, and phone numbers of at least 3 billion of its users.
47. Cybercriminals usually aim for weak passwords to breach networks and devices. It is for this reason that the Maryville University recommends creating strong passwords and updating them regularly to increase network security.
48. WordPress is among the most hacked Content Management Systems (CMS) on the internet. It accounts for approximately 90% of the hacks done on content management systems, as reported by the Digital Information World (DIW).
49. Phishing is a cybercrime term that refers to the use of big-brand fake emails to lure victims into clicking on malicious links, opening spam emails, and login into fake websites. Cybercriminals use phishing to obtain people’s sensitive information such as social security numbers, passwords, and credit card numbers.
50. A study at the University of Maryland revealed that every 39 seconds, hackers attempt to attack computers and other digital devices that are connected to the internet. One in every 3 Americans falls victim to these attacks whenever the hackers succeed in breaching their network systems.