[Chapter-delegates] news release: Experts show the way towards a better, more secure Internet

[Gerard Ross]

Hello

For your information, here is a press release we are about to issue  
regarding the "Securing the DNS"  panel event held in Stockholm today.

Regards
- Gerard

--
Gerard Ross
Senior Manager, Outreach and Coordinated Communication
Internet Society
Email: ross at isoc.org


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Press release - for immediate distribution
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EXPERTS SHOW THE WAY TOWARDS A BETTER, MORE SECURE INTERNET FOR EVERYONE

Stockholm, Sweden, 28 July 2009 - Some of the world's leading experts  
met in Stockholm today to discuss how the Internet can become more  
secure through a full implementation of new security standards in the  
Domain Name System (DNS).

The Domain Name System is a critical operational element of the  
Internet, creating a user-friendly environment that allows names to be  
mapped to host addresses (for example, web and email servers).  
However, this system is not safe from tampering. Earlier this year,  
one of Brazil's biggest banks suffered an attack that redirected its  
customers to fraudulent websites that attempted to steal passwords and  
install malware.

Many experts are calling for a full-scale implementation of Domain  
Name Security Extensions (DNSSEC) which could protect the Internet  
from these types of attacks, such as the Kaminsky Bug. Patrik Wallstöm  
of .SE (the Top Level Domain Registrar for Sweden) explained that  
Kaminsky attacks can trick Internet users by taking over domain names  
and redirecting queries to another server. All applications are at  
risk including among others our email and online transactions.

Leslie Daigle, Chief Internet Technology Officer of The Internet  
Society (ISOC), which organised the event: "DNSSEC effectively wraps  
tamper proof packaging around the data being requested to assure the  
user that the information is what was shipped from the authentic  
source".

"While DNSSEC isn't a magic bullet, it is a very important starting  
point that allows us to start evaluating how to secure the many  
applications that are intertwined with the Domain Name System,"  
explained Jim Galvin, speaking on behalf of the Public Interest  
Registry that manages the .org domain name.

Richard Lamb, DNSSEC Programme Manager of ICANN added that "momentum  
has been building up. Today there is a generalised awareness that we  
need to implement the security extensions already at the root of the  
domain name system. With the widespread deployment of DNSSEC, we will  
be able to create a platform for innovation, new product development  
and international cooperation."

Matt Larson, Vice President of DNS research at Verisign, one of the  
world's leading providers of network infrastructure services discussed  
VeriSign's plans for deploying DNSSEC in .com and .net. He said: "We  
are committed to the application of DNSSEC and have had a long history  
of involvement in its development. We are planning to have .net signed  
by the end of 2010 and .com signed in early 2011".

Securing the DNS panelists:
- Patrick Wallström, SE
- Richard Lamb, ICANN
- Olaf Kolkman, NLnet Labs
- Leslie Daigle, The Internet Society
- Jim Galvin, Public Interest Registry
- Matt Larson, Verisign

More details of the event, including presentations at:

  http://www.isoc.org/dns
  http://www.isoc.org/isoc/conferences/dnspanel/dnssec_background.shtml


About the Internet Society
--------------------------
The Internet Society is a non-profit organization founded in 1992 to  
provide leadership in Internet related standards, education, and  
policy. With offices in Washington, D.C., and Geneva, Switzerland, it  
is dedicated to ensuring the open development, evolution, and use of  
the Internet for the benefit of people throughout the world. More  
information is available at: http://www.isoc.org

Media Contact:
Gerard Ross
Internet Society
ross at isoc.org
+41 22 809 0361