DNSSEC: Complex, But Important for Internet Security

If I could describe DNSSEC in one word, it would be "important." Another word that often describes it though is "complex."

What is DNSSEC and why is it so important and complex?  Well, DNS, as you may know, is a little known (but absolutely critical) technology. It enables connections on the Internet by translating the better known domains we all use to the IP addresses that get us to the pages we want. Without DNS, the Internet doesn't work. Cryptography has a similar lack of visibility, but is also absolutely critical. When you mash the two of them together, you get Domain Name Security Extensions, commonly called DNSSEC.

DNSSEC provides a manner of guaranteeing that an answer from the global DNS is the correct answer - which as you can imagine is pretty important (i.e. if I type in the domain for my bank's website, I sure hope the IP address my browser goes to is of the intended bank, not some nefarious middle man trying to steal my data. This is what DNSSEC helps solve). I say DNSSEC is complex because there are terms associated with it like "zone signing," "key rollover," "algorithm strength," "data enumeration," etc.  That's a LOT of terms to know just to be able to have a secure domain.

Research Grants for Building Virtual Neighborhoods

One of the highlights of my first seven months at Verisign was attending the annual meeting of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Nairobi, Kenya last September. I had the pleasure of serving with industry, policy and technical leaders from around the world on several panels concerned with how to manage the Internet as a shared and connected global resource.  It was my first trip to Africa, and similar to my experience at each of the other new continents I’ve visited over the course of my career, what once seemed so far away became much closer to home – especially as I sat in the conference room and tweeted and emailed over the wireless network!

Attending IGF was a strong reminder that the world has become so much more connected, with Internet access a huge enabler of the global economy. People are learning, companies are forming, and society is changing in new ways as a result of an interconnectedness that puts Kenya and every other country in the same, virtual neighborhood.

Welcome 2012: Oh The Places We'll Go

Passing my first year mark with Verisign, I thought it would be interesting to gather some thoughts from last year and discuss what I am looking forward to in 2012. With that, let’s recap, shall we?

Moving to Verisign was an interesting period of transition for me. Much of my professional life has been focused on the development, marketing, and evangelism of technology; specifically, technology that has a demonstrable impact on the user experience or application. While I have been involved in building large scale systems for critical infrastructure, I had yet to work at a company that operated such systems. Working for Verisign has opened my eyes to the considerations one must have when in such an environment.

Sneak Peek: iDefense 2012 Cyber Threats and Trends Report

It is that time of year again; time for the annual iDefense Cyber Threats and Trends Report. The guys in the back room just finished putting the final touches on this year’s comprehensive report for customers and have the live copy under some pretty tight security. You are in luck though. I was able to call in some favors to get a sneak peek. This year’s report is a doozy. Let me attempt to dazzle you with 3 highlights. We are calling these things Key Findings and there 8 of them in the final report.

Connecting With Verisign: Seven Months In

As a technology leader whose career objective is to help build a connected digital world, it’s hard for me to envision a better place to be at this time in Internet history than Verisign.

That’s what I needed to be convinced of earlier this year when I decided to leave a good job with great people at another leading IT company to become Verisign’s CTO. Seven months later, I haven’t been disappointed.

One reason for my enthusiasm is the people. From the Verisign Labs team to the executive leadership, from the technology community to the administrative professionals, I get to work with some of the brightest people in the field. They bring years of experience to the company, working toward common goals. 

Another reason is the research. As I shared with Sean Michael Kerner of InternetNews.com recently, Verisign Labs’ research program is motivated by the question of Internet resilience: how to sustain the Internet as a global infrastructure over the long term.

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