DNS Security Facilitation - Technical Study Group

The DNS Security Facilitation - Technical Study Group (DSFI-TSG) was formed to investigate and determine what ICANN should and should not do based on the technical landscape -- not about DNS Abuse -- but about security threats and attack vectors, including the DNS itself. This study group provides technical guidance to the ICANN CEO on what ICANN can initiate to facilitate DNS security. This group does not make policy but it may make policy recommendations.

Members

• Merike Käo (Coordinator)
• Tim April
• Gavin Brown
• John Crain
• Rod Rasmussen
• Marc Rogers
• Katrina Sataki
• Robert Schischka
• Duane Wessels

Guiding Questions

1. Which ICANN mechanisms or functions specifically address DNS security?
2. What are the most critical gaps in the DNS security landscape?
3. what technical requirements are needed to fill the gaps?
4. How to fix operational best practices to address the gaps?
5. What are the hindrances to their deployments?
6. Who should fill those gaps?
7. what is ICANN Organization's role?
8. What strategic partnerships should ICANN org make to enhance DNS security?
9. What are the risks?
10. What are the shortcomings of the current threat models?
11. What are the externalities?
12. which DNS characteristics attract security problems that other Internet services don’t have?
13. What can ICANN learn from other protocols or industries that face similar issues?

History

The group met 29 times between June 2020 and September 2021 to answer the aforementioned questions and draft recommendations for the ICANN CEO. The group submitted its draft report to the ICANN CEO in October 2021, just prior to ICANN 72. At ICANN 72, the group presented its findings in a session during Prep Week.