DNS Secure Root Zone Specification

[Maughan, Douglas]

Dear Colleague:

The Science and Technology Directorate of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is working with a wide range of public and private partners around the world to address security vulnerabilities in the Internet's domain name system (DNS) by encouraging and coordinating deployment of the DNS security extensions (DNSSEC) protocol. A key element is a technical specification for signing and securing the DNS Root Zone -- the top of the domain name system hierarchy. The attached specification has been reviewed by a variety of U.S. federal agencies and supported by DHS, and today, I am asking for your comments on this specification.

We recognize that increasing the security of the Internet requires global cooperation. This specification is an important step forward in our efforts here in the U.S. to secure the domain name system, as directed by the President in the U.S. National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace. Our goal is to reduce the domain name system's vulnerability to terrorist threats, while facilitating secure electronic commerce and business continuity. 

Please send your comments on all aspects of the specification no later than Friday, December 15, 2006, to DNSSEC-RootSign at dhs.gov.  Your review is the first step in a review process that will include an opportunity for wider public comment, once we have reviewed and addressed all comments from this phase. Therefore, I ask that you do not distribute, disclose or disseminate this draft to others at this time, and I have included a distribution list (on the third page) so that all can see those whose comments are being requested at this time.  

In addition to the attached specification document, the DNSSEC deployment initiative has developed a prototype, which can be made available to you to assist in formulating your comments.  Please contact Ólafur Guðmundsson directly at ogud at ogud.com to learn more about the prototype and gain access to it.

Your input is very important to this process, and I hope you will take the time to share your insights with us.
  
Sincerely,

Douglas Maughan, Ph.D.
Program Manager, Cyber Security R&D
Department of Homeland Security
Science and Technology Directorate
Washington, DC  20528
Phone: 202-254-6145
Cell: 202-360-3170
Fax: 202-254-6170
E-mail: Douglas.Maughan at dhs.gov

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