[CPWG] OCTO-34 Challenges with Alternative Name Systems

[Satish Babu]

Thanks Justine.

It is true that presently users need to install additional software to
access these alternative names. However, we need to be mindful of a recent
trend where new, crypto-savvy browsers support alternative roots
out-of-the-box, without the need to install additional software. For
instance, the Brave Browser comes with Tor built in.

If this trend consolidates in future, it will tend to blur the difference
between DNS and alternative roots, which, in my opinion, may possibly
undermine end-user trust in the DNS.

With kind regards





satish

On Fri, Apr 29, 2022 at 6:13 AM Justine Chew via CPWG <cpwg at icann.org>
wrote:

> This came to my attention vide the NCAP Discussion Group and is a
> worthwhile read for those with concerns over name collisions in competing
> name spaces (please note that these sort of name collisions is out-of-scope
> for the NCAP Studies) and I would add to Jim's excerpt extracted from the
> document ......
>
> https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/files/octo-034-27apr22-en.pdf
>
> "*A key reason to obtain a brandable domain is that it is easy to
> remember, pronounce, and spell. We also make assumptions. For example, you
> might assume that any potential customer anywhere in the world could use
> the domain name you select to connect with you easily, either by clicking
> on a link or typing the name into a browser, regardless of which platform
> the customer is using.*
>
>
> *This assumptions holds true when you get a regular DNS domain name. Once
> the proper DNS records and web servers for that domain name are set up, any
> user on the Internet can reach you. This is one of the most important
> advantages of the DNS: domain names can be resolved by anyone, anywhere on
> the planet, from any platform. Meanwhile, alternative naming systems have
> existed for a long while, but have remained marginal. More recently,
> various blockchains have introduced their own naming systems. Those are
> often promoted as real alternatives to the DNS.*
>
>
> *If you are using a name that is part of such an alternative naming
> solution, the above assumption no longer holds true. Resolving domain names
> in an alternative naming system requires a specialized bridge from the DNS
> world in order for the alternate names to work. What does this mean to the
> average Internet user? Unless Internet users install specific software or
> configure certain settings on all of their devices, they will not be able
> to use these non-DNS names. In this circumstance, an Internet user clicking
> on a link with an alternate name will see a failure with an error message
> that the domain cannot be found.....*"
>
>
>
> Justine
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ---------
> From: James Galvin
> Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2022 at 05:06
> Subject: [NCAP-Discuss] OCTO-34 Challenges with Alternative Name Systems
> To: NCAP Discussion Group
>
>
> This document was recently published by OCTO:
>
> https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/files/octo-034-27apr22-en.pdf
>
>
> Although our focus is name collisions within the DNS infrastructure, we
> have stated that we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge that there
> are alternate namespaces and their impact on us.
>
> I believe the aforementioned document by OCTO is informative to this
> concern.  I have excerpted the Executive Summary here for your
> consideration and encourage all to review the document.
>
>
> *"The Domain Name System (DNS) is a component of the system of unique
> identifiers ICANN helps to coordinate. It is the main naming system on the
> Internet. It is not the only one. Some predate it, and some others have
> been recently proposed in the wake of the blockchain approach of
> decentralized systems.*
>
>
> * Proposing a new naming system is one thing. Making sure everybody on the
> Internet can use it is another. Alternative naming systems face a huge
> deployment challenge. A number of solutions exist to bridge the DNS to
> those parallel worlds, but they all come with their own set of drawbacks.*
>
>
> * Furthermore, the lack of name space coordination, either between those
> alternative naming systems and the DNS, or simply among those alternative
> naming systems, will result in unworkable name collisions that could lead
> to completely separate ecosystems, one for each alternative naming system,
> further fragmenting the Internet. This is the exact opposite of the vision
> “one world, one Internet.”*
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jim
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