--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Attacks on Internet sites and…" description: "\"Attacks on Internet sites and infrastructure, and the compromise of secure information, pose a particularly tricky problem because it is usually imposs..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/jonathan-zittrain-12491_attack_attacks-on-internet-sites-and-infrastruc_3234224.png" --- # Attacks on Internet sites and infrastructure, and the… ![“Attacks on Internet sites and infrastructure, and the compromise of secure information, pose a particularly tricky problem because it is usually impossible to trace an attack back to its instigator.” quote by Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/jonathan-zittrain-12491_attack_attacks-on-internet-sites-and-infrastruc_3234224.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/jonathan-zittrain-12491_attack_attacks-on-internet-sites-and-infrastruc_3234224.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/jonathan-zittrain-12491_attack_attacks-on-internet-sites-and-infrastruc_3234224.png) > “Attacks on Internet sites and infrastructure, and the compromise of secure information, pose a particularly tricky problem because it is usually impossible to trace an attack back to its instigator.” [Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Cyber attacks are hard to trace, creating security challenges. **In simple terms:** Hard to track attacks on the internet. Key Takeaway Improve attribution methods for better defense. Themes security privacy technology trust Mood concerned analytical Type technical policy When to use this quote - enterprise IT - government agencies - individual online safety - incident response Key Concepts cybersecurity attribution risk management Questions to Reflect On - What technologies can enhance traceability? - How balance security with privacy rights? A Different Perspective Attribution may be limited by encryption and anonymity tools. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attack/) [Attack Instigator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attack-instigator-6130190/) [Attacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attacks/) [Attacks Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attacks-internet-5485496/) [Back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) [Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible/) [Impossible Trace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible-trace-6130191/) [Information](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/information/) [Infrastructure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infrastructure/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [Particularly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particularly/) [Pose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pose/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Secure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secure/) [Sites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sites/) [Trace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trace/) [Trace Attack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trace-attack-6130189/) [Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tricky/) [Tricky Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tricky-problem-6130192/) ## Related quotes > [Defending ourselves from internet-based attacks, internet-originated attacks, is much, much more important than our ability to launch attacks against similar targets in foreign countries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/defending-ourselves-from-internet-based-attacks-internet-originated/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I really hope that when I leave, my last trace will be beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-yuna/i-really-hope-that-when-i-leave-my-last-trace-will-be-beautiful/) [Kim Yuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-yuna/) > [You look at Superman, the story of an orphan coming to America, keeping his identity secret and even the names, Kal-El and Jor-El, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-robinson/you-look-at-superman-the-story-of-an-orphan-coming-to-america-keeping/) [Jerry Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-robinson/) > [Time may change me, but I can't trace time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/time-may-change-me-but-i-can-t-trace-time/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [It turns out that every person alive today can trace his or her ancestry back to Africa. Everyone's DNA tells a story of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-wells/it-turns-out-that-every-person-alive-today-can-trace-his-or-her/) [Spencer Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-wells/) > [You can trace the E Street Band directly back to the Rascals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-van-zandt/you-can-trace-the-e-street-band-directly-back-to-the-rascals/) [Steven Van Zandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-van-zandt/) > [I don't want to go without leaving a trace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/somaly-mam/i-don-t-want-to-go-without-leaving-a-trace/) [Somaly Mam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/somaly-mam/) > [Whether it be in comics, games or film, you can trace the art direction and influences back to some earlier, real-life historic period or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lee/whether-it-be-in-comics-games-or-film-you-can-trace-the-art-direction/) [Jim Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lee/) > [My shadow in my art is one way I trace who I was and where I have been. My shadow and I have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-cartwright/my-shadow-in-my-art-is-one-way-i-trace-who-i-was-and-where-i-have/) [Angela Cartwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-cartwright/) > [I can clearly trace my passion for reading back to the Jonesboro, Georgia, library, where, for the first time in my life, I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-can-clearly-trace-my-passion-for-reading-back-to-the-jonesboro/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [While they trace their history back to wars that helped to ethnically cleanse Native Americans and to their exploits in the Civil War fighting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-sexton-iii/while-they-trace-their-history-back-to-wars-that-helped-to-ethnically/) [Brendan Sexton III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-sexton-iii/) > ['Without a Trace' analyzes criminal behavior in the special context of a disappearance. We consider it a suspense thriller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-tassler/without-a-trace-analyzes-criminal-behavior-in-the-special-context-of/) [Nina Tassler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-tassler/) > [I have friends that tease me about 'Without a Trace;' they say, 'You're really good at saying, 'Have you seen this person?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-close/i-have-friends-that-tease-me-about-without-a-trace-they-say-you-re/) [Eric Close](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-close/) > [In the imperfect records left of the anatomy of the ancient Egyptians, no trace of any knowledge of the spleen can be ascertained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-gray/in-the-imperfect-records-left-of-the-anatomy-of-the-ancient-egyptians/) [Henry Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-gray/) > [“Zed and Sky had stayed behind and were chatting with Will, Sky sitting on Zed's knee as if nothing was going to get them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stirling/zed-and-sky-had-stayed-behind-and-were-chatting-with-will-sky-sitting/) [Joss Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stirling/) ## More by Jonathan Zittrain > [The Internet is a collective hallucination: one of the best humanity has ever generated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/the-internet-is-a-collective-hallucination-one-of-the-best-humanity/) [Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) > [Instead of using new technologies to preserve for ready discovery material that might in the past never have been stored, or deleting everything as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/instead-of-using-new-technologies-to-preserve-for-ready-discovery/) [Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) > [How an individual's reputation is protected online is too important and subtle a policy matter to be legislated by a high court, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/how-an-individual-s-reputation-is-protected-online-is-too-important/) [Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) > [Despite outsiders being invited to write software, the iPhone thus remains tightly tethered to its vendor - the way that the Kindle is controlled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/despite-outsiders-being-invited-to-write-software-the-iphone-thus/) [Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) > [The Internet's distinct configuration may have made cyberattacks easy to launch, but it has also kindled the flame of freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/the-internet-s-distinct-configuration-may-have-made-cyberattacks-easy/) [Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) > [The last refuge of privacy cannot be placed solely in law or technology. It must repose in both, and a thoughtful combination of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/the-last-refuge-of-privacy-cannot-be-placed-solely-in-law-or/) [Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) > [Another view is Western companies chartered in societies that believe in this kind of censorship shouldn't be carrying water for societies that do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/another-view-is-western-companies-chartered-in-societies-that-believe/) [Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) > [I'm interested in harnessing the good will and distributed power of people, including novices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/i-m-interested-in-harnessing-the-good-will-and-distributed-power-of/) [Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) > [The Internet works thanks to loose but trusted connections among its many constituent parts, with easy entry and exit for new Internet service providers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/the-internet-works-thanks-to-loose-but-trusted-connections-among-its/) [Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) > [A free Net may depend on some wisely developed and implemented locks and a community ethos that secures the keys to those locks among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/a-free-net-may-depend-on-some-wisely-developed-and-implemented-locks/) [Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) > [All sorts of factors contribute to what Facebook or Twitter present in a feed, or what Google or Bing show us in search results.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/all-sorts-of-factors-contribute-to-what-facebook-or-twitter-present/) [Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) > [I think social networking is absolutely here to stay. Now, whether or not the label will Facebook forever, depends in part, I think, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/i-think-social-networking-is-absolutely-here-to-stay-now-whether-or/) [Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) > [Content zips around the Internet thanks to code - programming code. And code is subject to intellectual property laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/content-zips-around-the-internet-thanks-to-code-programming-code-and/) [Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) > [Facebook draws from the public and public-interest sphere, a simultaneously bold and modest step towards acknowledging that our new networked technologies deeply affect our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/facebook-draws-from-the-public-and-public-interest-sphere-a/) [Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) > [There are some conversations that are undeniably improved when the rule going in is that you have to stand behind what you say and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/there-are-some-conversations-that-are-undeniably-improved-when-the/) [Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) [Explore all 54 Jonathan Zittrain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) ## More Attack quotes > [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/) [Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [When I hit bottom, I can attack the problem and get to where I want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rodman/when-i-hit-bottom-i-can-attack-the-problem-and-get-to-where-i-want-to/) [Dennis Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rodman/) > [It was both necessary and desirable for us to be so strong at sea that no Sea Power could attack us without risk, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-von-bulow/it-was-both-necessary-and-desirable-for-us-to-be-so-strong-at-sea/) [Bernhard von Bulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-von-bulow/) > [The best way to counter-attack a hater is to make it blatantly obvious that their attack has had no impact on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/the-best-way-to-counter-attack-a-hater-is-to-make-it-blatantly/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) > [President Obama has never summarized the Obama Doctrine with such clarity, but here is what it would look like: 'I will undertake any military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/president-obama-has-never-summarized-the-obama-doctrine-with-such/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Everything has got a place in my house. If something is moved I get a panic attack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rylan-clark-neal/everything-has-got-a-place-in-my-house-if-something-is-moved-i-get-a/) [Rylan Clark-Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rylan-clark-neal/) > [I mean, it's not just the rappers, you know what i'm saying? People want to attack anybody that's a large figure, you know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-notorious-b-i-g/i-mean-it-s-not-just-the-rappers-you-know-what-i-m-saying-people-want/) [The Notorious B.I.G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-notorious-b-i-g/) > [Sometimes when you take a tough action against one side in the conflict, they see you as part of the conflict and they attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/sometimes-when-you-take-a-tough-action-against-one-side-in-the/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [“Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/hence-when-able-to-attack-we-must-seem-unable-when-using-our-forces/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Free speech has a very small constituency on the modern campus, particularly if the speaker under attack is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leo/free-speech-has-a-very-small-constituency-on-the-modern-campus/) [John Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leo/) > [Daniil is a player who will not give you many chances to attack. If I have enough power and choose the right moment, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrey-rublev/daniil-is-a-player-who-will-not-give-you-many-chances-to-attack-if-i/) [Andrey Rublev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrey-rublev/) > [Distributed ledgers are inherently harder to attack because instead of a single database, there are multiple shared copies of the same database, so a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-walport/distributed-ledgers-are-inherently-harder-to-attack-because-instead/) [Mark Walport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-walport/) > [Attack life. It's going to kill you anyways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/attack-life-it-s-going-to-kill-you-anyways/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For those of us in the political business, generally, it's been pretty much an unwritten but understood rule that family and children are out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/for-those-of-us-in-the-political-business-generally-it-s-been-pretty/) [Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/) [Browse all 1,074 Attack quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attack/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Attacks on Internet sites and infrastructure, and the compromise of secure information, pose a particularly tricky problem because it is usually impossible to trace an attack back to its instigator.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jonathan Zittrain" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/attacks-on-internet-sites-and-infrastructure-and-the-compromise-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attack" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/attacks-on-internet-sites-and-infrastructure-and-the-compromise-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/jonathan-zittrain-12491_attack_attacks-on-internet-sites-and-infrastruc_3234224.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/jonathan-zittrain-12491_attack_attacks-on-internet-sites-and-infrastruc_3234224.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/jonathan-zittrain-12491_attack_attacks-on-internet-sites-and-infrastruc_3234224.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Attacks on Internet sites and infrastructure, and the compromise of secure information, pose a particularly…” — Jonathan Zittrain", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jonathan Zittrain", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Attacks on Internet sites and infrastructure,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/attacks-on-internet-sites-and-infrastructure-and-the-compromise-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/attacks-on-internet-sites-and-infrastructure-and-the-compromise-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```