News, events & blog

ICANN81: Auctions Here - Auctions There

The Dutch are energetically promoting quantum cryptography. The rationale behind it remains somewhat unclear. Theoretically, we are still 10–15 years away from a practical quantum computer, and based on historical timelines, widespread implementation of new algorithms would also take around 10 years. Thus, there is some logic behind their enthusiasm, but I believe there is still too much uncertainty. Algorithms will likely evolve further, and when the need arises to replace them, it will likely happen faster than anticipated.

The Swiss registry and CERT SWITCH introduced their deferred registrations solution to combat domain misuse in fraud schemes. Fraudulent registrations are often used for just a few hours, leaving no time to respond. As a result, the goal is to catch malicious registrations before they reach the zone (a sort of "minority report" approach). Data submitted for registration is assessed, and AI is employed to identify suspicious patterns. If a dubious registration is identified, its entry into the zone is halted, and additional verification or identity checks of the registrant are initiated. In many cases, registrants do not respond, leading to the registration being deleted. This topic garnered significant interest from attendees. It also raised the question: if a domain is not placed into the zone post-registration, should the registrant be refunded since they did not receive the service? As is customary in the domain industry, costs are incurred at the moment of registration, and the registrant bears responsibility if rules are violated during the process. But the lack of response from registrants may not always stem from malicious intent but rather from a lack of understanding of who the registry is. Registrants usually interact with registrars, not directly with the registry.

This specific challenge is less relevant to us, as we require strong identity verification for all registrants. While this creates a slight barrier to registration, it ensures the zone's security and eliminates subsequent issues and misunderstandings. eeID is here to help!

Our eeID service offering for registrars has sparked some unexpected questions. For example, can it also be used for identity verification via EIS's own portal without requiring registrars to join the service separately? Additionally, registrars are curious about integrating existing identity verification solutions. For instance, 101domains inquired about Persona, which they already use in scenarios requiring additional identity checks. eeID was designed to assist registrars, but its use is not mandatory. We always consider alternatives and allow solutions that meet our strong identity verification criteria, and it seems Persona aligns with these requirements.

I also reintroduced our REST-based EPP alternative, a similar presentation to the one given at IETF a few weeks earlier. This is our contribution to the standardization of solutions, which we hope will relieve registrars of the burden of managing various interfaces with the same purpose. The need for a modern interface between the registry and registrars is evident. We see this through the adoption of our solution, and the interest from other registries only reinforces its necessity. The main question is how to ensure the solution doesn’t become outdated by the time the standard is finalized.

The topic of auction systems gained traction through discussions with the Czech and Swedish registries, as well as the U.S.-based registrar Dynadot. Surprisingly, it was revealed during a panel discussion that Sweden is reconsidering its decision to adopt an auction system due to opposition from registrars. It was unclear whether this opposition was limited to a few vocal registrars or represented broader resistance. This development is regrettable, as Sweden had planned a unique approach—blind auctions mediated by registrars. This would have maintained the clean registry-registrar-registrant model, with registrars also benefiting from a share of the winning bid revenue.

Meanwhile, several other registries are actively developing or considering auction systems. Uzbekistan (.uz) is building its own, while Turkey (.tu) and Puerto Rico (.pr) have expressed interest. Each has its own questions, concerns, and expectations, including regulatory aspects, registrar involvement, and integration with third-party systems. Drawing on our experience and expertise, I assisted them in finding answers. It seems that the courage to innovate and experiment is more pronounced outside Europe, where we have struggled to find like-minded collaborators.

I met with the Brand Safety Alliance (BSA) team regarding GoDaddy’s Global Block service. This was primarily a courtesy visit to review the current state and potential next steps. I have been a fan of this project since its inception—it’s an ambitious idea that protects trademarks while significantly giving back to local internet communities. The service provides a simplified way for trademark owners to protect their interests from a single platform, ideally across all domain registries, at a lower cost than contacting each registry individually to secure domain names.

Global Block, as the name implies, blocks relevant names across zones that are part of the service. Since this involves blocking rather than registration, it is more cost-effective for trademark owners. To use the domain, they would still need to register it, which falls outside the service's scope.

This project benefits local communities in several ways. Firstly, by creating a cleaner domain space, it reduces the misuse of domains associated with well-known brands. Secondly, it generates additional revenue, as many companies using the service would not otherwise engage with smaller zones like .ee. This revenue helps keep registration fees lower and supports community projects.

Finally, Jacque Latour, the driving force behind technical innovation at Canada’s CIRA, announced his retirement. He has been instrumental in implementing DNSSEC, anycast, and cross-border DNS-based digital identity solutions. His departure leaves a significant void, but the time for himself and fishing is well-deserved. When I grow up, I want to be like him. Hats off to Jacque!