08 September 2009

SURFnet ready for secure Internet Roadsigns

SURFnet announces that all SURFnet DNS (Domain Name System) resolvers now support DNSSEC. SURFnet is one of the first networks in the Netherlands to support DNSSEC

SURFnet DNS resolvers now support DNSSEC

Utrecht, 7 September 2009 – SURFnet announces that all SURFnet DNS (Domain Name System) resolvers now support DNSSEC. DNS resolvers link domain names to IP addresses and thus provide the roadsigns for the Internet. DNS is an essential building block of the Internet. Serious vulnerabilities have been found in DNS that allow an attacker to redirect surfers to malicious websites. DNSSEC is the technology that repairs these vulnerabilities. SURFnet is one of the first networks in the Netherlands to support DNSSEC.

The SURFnet DNS resolvers are accessible to all institutions and all users connected to SURFnet, allowing them to take advantage of the world-wide DNSSEC roll-out that is currently taking place. Once a domain is secured with DNSSEC the connected institutions and users immediately reap the benefits.

Roland van Rijswijk, Manager Middleware Services of SURFnet: “A secure Internet is of key importance for higher education and research. The implementation of DNSSEC is a crucial step for SURFnet to benefit from the world-wide roll-out of secure Internet roadsigns. In just a fraction of a second the information for a domain name is retrieved and the authenticity of this information, such as the IP address, is checked as well”. He continues: “It is self-evident that SURFnet as a network innovator takes this step and thus contributes to increasing the knowledge about DNSSEC and its implementation”.

Hotlinks:

- website SURFnet
- Hardening the Internet

 

A growing group of organisations is taking steps to support DNSSEC as well; there is, however, much room for improvement in this field. SURFnet takes part in activities to promote the implementation of DNSSEC both nationally and internationally and contributes to an increase in DNSSEC know-how. Its activities include a white paper 'Hardening the Internet', published earlier this year, on the importance of the roll-out of DNSSEC. The white paper describes how DNSSEC can make an important contribution to improving the security of the Internet. Moreover SURFnet continually monitors how DNSSEC functions on its systems, and it shares this knowledge with leading parties in the field of DNSSEC.

The implementation of DNSSEC uses the software package Unbound, developed and maintained by Open Source DNS software developer NLnetLabs. The network management partner Prolocation, who manages the SURFnet DNS infrastructure, provided support to SURFnet for the implementation of DNSSEC. Prolocation is among the first commercial providers in the Netherlands to implement DNSSEC validation on its own systems.