Introduction: The Fake Map
What if a prankster put a fake sign in the middle of a highway saying "All traffic to New York, turn left", but 'left' actually led to a giant dump? In networking, this is BGP Hijacking. It happens when one network tells the rest of the world, "I own Google's IP addresses! Send all their traffic to me!"
The Result: Massive Redirection
Because BGP is built on 'Trust', other routers might believe the lie. For a few minutes (or hours), all the data intended for a bank or a government might travel through a hacker's server in another country before being sent to the real destination. This allows the hacker to record everyone's passwords in secret.
Conclusion
BGP Hijacking is a threat to the very foundation of the web. Modern protocols like **RPKI** are being used to 'Sign' these maps so routers can tell the difference between a real path and a fake one. Check your routing security here.