The Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) routes internet traffic between networks but can be hijacked. BGP relies on trust between network operators rather than security mechanisms. In 1998 experts warned government agencies that a lack of authentication in BGP left it vulnerable to hijacking traffic. In 2010, China Telecom hijacked internet traffic meant for 15% of the internet for 18 minutes, likely to collect data and gain intelligence. Experts argue that securing BGP with digital signatures and validating routing information is needed to prevent sensitive data and traffic from being rerouted without permission.