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| − | '''Amazon Web Service (AWS) is a [[cloud computing]] service provided by Amazon. Today, outside of the Internet Computer universe, it performs a huge proportion of the data processing and storage involved with web3 services and applications, and runs a large proportion of nodes on blockchain networks.'''
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| − | As a consequence, when AWS has outages, this can directly cause "decentralized" web3 services to fail. For example, a recent AWS outage [https://www.vice.com/en/article/wxdnxy/amazons-server-outage-took-down-a-decentralized-crypto-exchange took down a crypto financial exchange that claimed to be decentralized].
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| − | If AWS wished, outside the Internet Computer universe, it could shut down the vast majority of today's web3 services, applications and even entire blockchains. For example, [https://www.vox.com/2021/1/10/22223250/parler-amazon-web-services-apple-google-play-ban AWS decided to shut down the social media service Parler for political reasons], demonstrating what might be possible if the regulatory environment turned strongly against blockchain.
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| − | Sometimes the risk is disguised. For example, most web3 services and applications built using [[Ethereum]], run off-chain, and communicate with local nodes run by [[Infura]], a service provided by [https://consensys.net/ ConsenSys]. Another option, widely used in the web3 ecosystem, is [https://www.alchemy.com/ Alchemy]. What users don't realize is that not only must these services be trusted, but also the cloud computing service they run on themselves.
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| − | Even if a developer builds a web3 service or application using their own server computers, rather than the cloud, they are vulnerable to outsiders if they use a service like [[Infura]]. If AWS wishes to disrupt them, they can simply demand that Infura stops providing them with services.
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| − | Not only that, but a malicious insider working at either Infura or AWS can do much worse, and potentially steal tokens from the end users of web3 services and applications using a variety of attack vectors.
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| − | The Ethereum wallet [[MetaMask]], which runs as a [[browser extension]], is relied upon by the vast majority of its users. This in turn depends on Infura to function, which in turn depends on AWS.
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| − | It is no exaggeration to say that outside of the Internet Computer universe, web3 depends upon the goodwill of Amazon Web Services for its functioning.
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