There is a growing belief among engineers and security experts that Internet security and privacy have become such a major problem that the only way fix them is to start over with a new Internet. "Unless we're willing to rethink today's Internet, we're just waiting for a series of public catastrophes," Nick McKeown, a Stanford engineer involved in building a new Internet, told the New York Times.

One alternative would create a "gated community" where users would give up their anonymity and certain freedoms in return for safety. The Internet's current design virtually guarantees anonymity to its users, creating challenges for law enforcement. A more secure network is one that would offer less anonymity and privacy.

At Stanford, researchers are creating a system to make it possible to slide a more advanced network underneath today's Internet. The idea is creation of an Internet with improved security and the capabilities to support a new generation of not-yet-invented Internet applications, as well as to do some things the current Internet does poorly--such as supporting mobile users.

For more on the future:
- see this NYTimes.com article

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