Burma Isolated from Global Networks Before Elections

The reclusive nation of Burma, also known as Myanmar, has been cut off from global networks after a massive cyber attack on its national systems. 

The attack comes as the country builds up to elections on Sunday but dismissed by pro-democracy advocates.

Some believe the attack is being orchestrated by the country’s ruling military junta as a means of restricting the flow of information outside the country.

The attack has taken the form of a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS), which works by flooding a designated target with an overwhelming amount of data.

It typically uses hijacked computers, most from unknowing users whose machine harbour viruses, who make endless requests from the network, causing it to jam and finally, crash.

The junta has banned international observers and foreign journalist from covering the poll.

Burma last held elections in 1990, which were won by the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by pro-democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi.

The election result failed to dislodge the ruling junta and Suu Kyi has been under house arrest for most of the time since then.