On Jan. 11, 2025, Verisign supported the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) in taking a major step to ensure the continued security, stability, and resiliency of the Domain Name System (DNS). While imperceptible to most users, this action - specifically, the introduction of a new Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) Key Signing Key (KSK) in the root zone - is the next step of a multi-year-long process to change, or "roll," the cryptographic key that secures the root of the DNS. more
Today marks a significant shift in how internet registries manage domain name data as the Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP) officially replaces the legacy WHOIS system. Designed to address privacy and data access challenges, RDAP modernizes how information about domain registrations is queried and provided. more
The Commercial Stakeholder Group and Non-Commercial Stakeholder Group (together, the Non-Contracted Party House, or NCPH) met for a daylong Day 0 session on 8 November 2024, immediately prior to the opening of the ICANN81 meeting in Istanbul. This meeting follows one of a similar nature conducted prior to ICANN78 in Hamburg, which was the first joint NCPH meeting following the pandemic. more
On October 20th, ICANN and Verisign renewed the agreement under which Verisign will continue to act as Root Zone Maintainer for the Domain Name System (DNS) for another 8-year term. The Root Zone sits atop the hierarchical architecture of the DNS and is essential to virtually all internet navigation, acting as the dynamic, cryptographically secure, global directory of all top-level domains that exist in the DNS. more
The United Kingdom's recent decision to relinquish control over the Chagos Islands as part of a treaty with Mauritius has raised significant questions about the future of the popular .io domain. more
Over the past twenty years of my engagement in the ICANN multistakeholder process, one topic that has always been near and dear to me has been improving the accuracy and access to domain name registration data in a way that respects the legal rights of both registrants and requestors of registration data. Sadly, the glacial pace at which ICANN develops and implements policy has prevented a holistic solution to the problem. more
This accreditation positions UD as the largest ICANN-accredited registrar in the Web3 space, allowing it to expand its offerings to include a broader range of generic top-level domains (gTLDs) and country code domains (ccTLDs). more
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has officially reserved the top-level domain ".INTERNAL" for private-use applications. This decision follows years of technical evaluations, public consultations, and inter-organizational discussions. more
Interisle Consulting Group today released its fourth annual Phishing Landscape report investigating where and how cybercriminals acquire naming and hosting resources for phishing. Our study shows that cybercriminals evolved their tactics for obtaining attack resources, including sharply increasing their exploitation of subdomain and gateway providers. more
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has appointed Kurt Erik "Kurtis" Lindqvist as its new President and CEO, effective December 5, 2024. Lindqvist, an industry veteran with over 30 years of experience in the development of Internet Service Providers and global network carriers, currently serves as the CEO of the London Internet Exchange (LINX). more
Now just more than a quarter of the way into the pilot program, ICANN's Registration Data Request Service (RDRS) again will be the subject of intensive discussions during the ICANN80 meeting in Kigali in early June. This includes further consultations hosted by the Commercial Stakeholder Group (CSG) and including registrars, data requestors and ICANN Org. more
During CSG Open Working Session at ICANN79, Members from the ICANN Community were invited to an open meeting to share their experiences with Registration Data Request System (RDRS) from the Requestor side. As President of the Edgemoor Research Institute (ERI), I had the honor to present the keynote address and I am pleased to be able to provide you with ERI's report of the meeting. more
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has unveiled the first cycle of its Grant Program, earmarking up to $10 million for projects aimed at enhancing Internet resilience and global interoperability. more
On 6 March 2024, the ICANN At Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) held a plenary session entitled "Building Trust on the Internet Through Registrant Verification" at the ICANN79 Community Forum in San Juan, Puerto Rico, that Michael Palage and Avri Doria co-moderated. This session was inspired in part by a recent World Economic Forum report entitled "Reimagining Digital ID"... more
Last November, ICANN launched a ticketing system for those interested in obtaining domain name registration data ("WHOIS"). Titled Registration Data Request Service, or RDRS, the portal aims to direct requests for WHOIS data to participating registrars, who then decide whether or not to disclose the data. more