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title: How to Restart the Internet: This British Man Holds the Key for ICANN
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author: Laura Stampler
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# This Man Has a Key That Can Shut Down the Entire Internet

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by 

[Laura Stampler](https://time.com/author/laura-stampler/)


## Laura Stampler


Mar 17, 2014 7:58 PM UTC

by 

[Laura Stampler](https://time.com/author/laura-stampler/)


## Laura Stampler


Mar 17, 2014 7:58 PM UTC

In case you missed it, [_The Guardian_ ran an almost unbelievable story last month](http://www.itv.com/news/2014-03-17/this-british-businessman-holds-a-key-to-the-internet-to-reset-in-case-of-cyber-attack/) about individuals from around the world who hold keys that, when combined into one master key, have the power to reset the internet. (Yes, this is a real world thing and not the plot of an upcoming Dan Brown novel.)

[And according to ITV](http://www.itv.com/news/2014-03-17/this-british-businessman-holds-a-key-to-the-internet-to-reset-in-case-of-cyber-attack/), one of the members of that powerful, international cohort is this very perplexed looking British businessman:

> [](https://twitter.com/itvfootball/status/445504256779747328)

> [](https://twitter.com/BuzzFeedUK/status/445565239246200832)

Paul Klane, a father of two, was headhunted to be a part of the elite group that would be able to reboot the internet in case of a major cybersecurity crisis. And the man’s wide eyes indicates that he is keeping careful watch over his special key — that he happens to store in a plastic bag.

“Each of the 14 primary keyholders owns a traditional metal key to a safety deposit box, which in turn contains a smartcard, which in turn activates a machine that creates a new master key,” [reports _The Guardian._](http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/feb/28/seven-people-keys-worldwide-internet-security-web) The master key is used to make sure that the domain name system (DNS) — a phone book of IP addresses — is authentic.


The _Guardian_ reports the key holders, part of an organization called the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), meet four times a year in the U.S. over pepperoni pizza and beer for an official key ceremony. And some of the members, “chosen for their geographical spread as well as their experience – no one country is allowed to have too many key holders,” certainly seem like characters.

Anne-Marie Eklund Löwinder, an [Internet Hall of Fame member](http://www.internethalloffame.org/inductees/anne-marie-eklund-löwinder), was described as wearing “dangly cat earrings”–pretty appropriate for someone who literally holds a key to the internet.

“Of course it is a bit romantic and thrilling to be a part of this, because I am a romantic by heart,” she said. “I have to admit I love the internet.”

\[[_ITV_](http://www.itv.com/news/2014-03-17/this-british-businessman-holds-a-key-to-the-internet-to-reset-in-case-of-cyber-attack/)\]

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