<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr">Verisign,</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">Thank you for your response. Based on this, the RrSG has no further comments or objections.</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div>Best,</div><div>Catherine</div><div>Chair of the RRA Amendment Notification Review Team</div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><table style="padding:0px;margin:10px 0px;border:none"><tbody><tr><td style="vertical-align:middle;padding:0px 7px 0px 0px"><b style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:"Times New Roman";font-size:16px"><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:Arial">Catherine Merdinger</span></b><b style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:"Times New Roman";font-size:16px"><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(61,133,198)">| </span></b><span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-size:9pt;font-family:Arial">Associate Corporate Counsel </span><b style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:"Times New Roman";font-size:16px"><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(61,133,198)">|</span></b><b style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:"Times New Roman";font-size:16px"><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:Arial"></span></b><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(61,133,198)">Donuts</span><span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-size:9pt;font-family:Arial"> </span><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(102,102,102)">Inc.</span><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(61,133,198)"> <b>|</b> </span><span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-size:9pt;font-family:Arial">+1.319.541.9416</span><br></td><td style="vertical-align:middle;padding:0px 7px 0px 0px;text-align:left">
</td></tr></tbody></table>
</div></div></div></div></div><br></div><div class="gmail_quote"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div lang="EN-US" style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div class="gmail-m_-4679824691573267719WordSection1"><br>
<div>
<div style="border-right:none;border-bottom:none;border-left:none;border-top:1pt solid rgb(225,225,225);padding:3pt 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Kane, Pat <<a href="mailto:pkane@verisign.com" target="_blank">pkane@verisign.com</a>> <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, January 18, 2022 1:51 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Ashley Heineman <<a href="mailto:aheineman@godaddy.com" target="_blank">aheineman@godaddy.com</a>>; <a href="mailto:globalsupport@icann.org" target="_blank">globalsupport@icann.org</a>; <a href="mailto:secretariat@icannregistrars.org" target="_blank">secretariat@icannregistrars.org</a>; <a href="mailto:rra@icann.org" target="_blank">rra@icann.org</a><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Verd, Brad <<a href="mailto:bverd@verisign.com" target="_blank">bverd@verisign.com</a>>; netRRA <<a href="mailto:netRRA@verisign.com" target="_blank">netRRA@verisign.com</a>>; <a href="mailto:camia.frank@icann.org" target="_blank">camia.frank@icann.org</a>; <a href="mailto:jeanne.gregg@icann.org" target="_blank">jeanne.gregg@icann.org</a>; <a href="mailto:robert.gomez@icann.org" target="_blank">robert.gomez@icann.org</a>; <a href="mailto:andrew.dickson@icann.org" target="_blank">andrew.dickson@icann.org</a>; <a href="mailto:amanda.fessenden@icann.org" target="_blank">amanda.fessenden@icann.org</a>; <a href="mailto:andee.hill@icann.org" target="_blank">andee.hill@icann.org</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> RE: RE: RRA Amendment Notification for .net [ ref:_00D616tJk._5004MnYS1n:ref ]<u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<div style="border-top:none;border-right:none;border-bottom:none;border-left:4.5pt solid rgb(185,74,72);padding:0in 0in 0in 14pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:rgb(242,222,222)"><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(185,74,72)">Caution:</span><span style="color:black">
</span><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(185,74,72)">This email is from an external sender. Please do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Forward suspicious emails to isitbad@.</span><u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
<p> <u></u><u></u></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hello Ashley,<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Happy New Year to you and all who are in receipt of this email.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you for your inquiry.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This email responds to the questions raised by the Registrar Stakeholder Group (RrSG) regarding Verisign’s proposed amendment to the
<i>force majeure</i> section in the .NET Registry-Registrar Agreement (RRA).<span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We proposed the following revisions (in redline) to the <i>force majeure</i> section in the .NET RRA:<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:0.5in"><b>6.3. Force Majeure.</b> Neither Party shall be responsible for any failure to perform any<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="gmail-m_-4679824691573267719MsoBlockText">obligation (other than payment obligations) or provide service hereunder because of any Act of God, strike, work stoppage,
<span style="color:red">cyberattack, to protect against imminent and substantial threats to the security and stability of the Registry TLD, System, Verisign’s name server operations or the internet,</span> governmental acts or directives, war, riot or civil
commotion, equipment or facilities shortages which are being experienced by providers of telecommunications services generally, or other similar force beyond such Party's reasonable control.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In response, the RrSG questioned the inclusion of “cyberattack” in the
<i>force majeure</i> clause, stating: <u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="gmail-m_-4679824691573267719MsoBlockText">“In regard to the .net RRA amendment, the RrSG has concerns about the changes to the Force Majeure language in Section 6.3 and the impact it could have on registrants. Specifically, by including cyberattacks as a force majeure events,
registrars negatively impacted by the registry’s failure to perform will have no recourse for such events. We worry that this leaves our customers without remedy in such a case.
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="gmail-m_-4679824691573267719MsoBlockText"> Could Verisign provide us with some additional details on the context and intent behind this language, particularly as it applies to our concern noted above?
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Verisign has proposed adding cyberattacks to the <i>force majeure</i> section of the .NET RRAs to confirm and make explicit what we believe legal authorities and current industry practice in the DNS and other industries already provide.
The change will align the <i>force majeure </i>provisions of .NET RRAs with the express provisions of other RRAs previously approved by ICANN and registrant agreements already used by registrars.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">More specifically, the change in the <i>force majeure</i> section is made for the following reasons.
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">First, the .COM and .NAME RRAs were recently amended, with ICANN’s approval, and without objection or comment by the RrSG, to include cyberattack in the
<i>force majeure</i> clauses of those agreements. “Cyberattack” is further explicitly included in the
<i>force majeure</i> clause of the “root zone maintainer” agreement between ICANN and Verisign. The proposed amendment to the .NET RRA aligns it with these other agreements.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Second, Verisign believes that cyberattacks are a recognized external threat that fall under the existing
<i>force majeure</i> clause because they are beyond a party’s reasonable control and often constitute ‘acts of war’ or ‘governmental acts’ by state actors. That said, it is in everyone’s interest for the
<i>force majeure</i> clause to be as clear and specific as possible, and thus to expressly identify a recognized third-party threat that clearly is increasing in likelihood and severity. This is similar to the express inclusion of ‘terrorism’ in
<i>force majeure</i> after 9/11: it simply recognizes and makes explicit the current reality.
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Furthermore, we note the <i>force majeure</i> clause is mutual, thereby providing protection to both the registry and registrars. In addition, by expressly providing that either party may suspend certain performance for a cyberattack falling
under the provision, Verisign, registrars (and ultimately registrants) may be preventing the ill effects certain kinds of cyberattacks may pose on their partner’s/customer’s systems from the failure to quickly halt system communications.
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Third, given the increased concerns regarding cyberattacks, Verisign believes its proposal is consistent with the current trend for
<i>force majeure</i> clauses, including those adopted by certain registrars and across industries.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Verisign understands that many or most domain name registration agreements with registrants (“Registrant Agreement(s)”) currently have provisions that protect registrars from liability in the event that Verisign or the registrar is forced
to suspend performance pursuant to the <i>force majeure</i> clause by reason of a cyberattack. For example, GoDaddy’s Registrant Agreement excludes from its service level commitments any downtime caused by “hostile network attacks.” Many registrars further
include strong limitations of liability and disclaimers of warranties related to service outages in their Registrant Agreements on top of broad
<i>force majeure</i> clauses.<a href="#m_-4679824691573267719__ftn1" name="m_-4679824691573267719__ftnref1" title=""><span class="gmail-m_-4679824691573267719MsoFootnoteReference">[1]</span></a>
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Finally, most registrars preserve the right unilaterally to amend their Registrant Agreements. Thus, registrars have the choice to bring the
<i>force majeure</i> clauses in their Registrant Agreements in line with industry trends, as some already have done, and in line with the RRA.
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="gmail-m_-4679824691573267719MsoFootnoteText"><span class="gmail-m_-4679824691573267719MsoFootnoteReference">[1]</span> <i>See e.g.</i>,
<i>Amazon Route 53 Domain Name Registration Agreement</i> at Section 13.11 (excluding liability and compensation, reimbursement or damages “arising in connection with (a) your inability to use the domain name registration services, including as a result of
any . . . any unanticipated or unscheduled downtime of all or a portion of the services for any reason, including as a result of power outages, system failures or other interruptions.”);
<i>Google Domains Domain Name Registration Agreement</i> at Section 11 (noting that “Neither we nor our suppliers, warrant that the [domain name registration] Services will be error-free or uninterrupted.”)
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Best regards,<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Pat<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<div>
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="371" style="width:278.25pt">
<tbody>
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<td style="padding:11.25pt 0in 15pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:10.5pt"><b><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,106,170)">Patrick Kane</span></b><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(107,109,113)"><br>
Senior Vice President<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:10.5pt"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(107,109,113)">Verisign Naming and Directory Services<br>
<a href="mailto:PKane@Verisign.com" target="_blank">PKane@Verisign.com</a><br>
<br>
t: 703.948.3349<br>
12061 Bluemont Way<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:10.5pt"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(107,109,113)">Reston, VA 20190<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:10.5pt"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(107,109,113)"><br>
<a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.verisigninc.com%2F&data=04%7C01%7Caheineman%40godaddy.com%7C37d669554ea6468489dd08d9dab372c4%7Cd5f1622b14a345a6b069003f8dc4851f%7C0%7C0%7C637781286658678152%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=uhCapapqkllvWT5HlT%2FI3wv92Soj18XCdOwtzburLTc%3D&reserved=0" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9pt;color:rgb(0,106,170);text-decoration:none">Verisign.com</span></a>
The Manifesto of Done – Laugh at perfection. It’s boring and keeps you from being done.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" style="padding:11.25pt 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u><img width="73" height="64" style="width: 0.7583in; height: 0.6666in;" align="right" alt="Verisign™"><u></u><span style="font-size:12pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<div>
<div style="border-right:none;border-bottom:none;border-left:none;border-top:1pt solid rgb(225,225,225);padding:3pt 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> <a href="mailto:aheineman@godaddy.com" target="_blank">aheineman@godaddy.com</a> <<a href="mailto:aheineman@godaddy.com" target="_blank">aheineman@godaddy.com</a>>
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, December 9, 2021 2:10 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> ICANN Global Support Center <<a href="mailto:globalsupport@icann.org" target="_blank">globalsupport@icann.org</a>>;
<a href="mailto:secretariat@icannregistrars.org" target="_blank">secretariat@icannregistrars.org</a>;
<a href="mailto:rra@icann.org" target="_blank">rra@icann.org</a><br>
<b>Cc:</b> <a href="mailto:camia.frank@icann.org" target="_blank">camia.frank@icann.org</a>; <a href="mailto:jeanne.gregg@icann.org" target="_blank">
jeanne.gregg@icann.org</a>; <a href="mailto:robert.gomez@icann.org" target="_blank">robert.gomez@icann.org</a>;
<a href="mailto:andrew.dickson@icann.org" target="_blank">andrew.dickson@icann.org</a>; <a href="mailto:amanda.fessenden@icann.org" target="_blank">
amanda.fessenden@icann.org</a>; <a href="mailto:andee.hill@icann.org" target="_blank">andee.hill@icann.org</a>; NEW GTLD <<a href="mailto:newgtld@Verisign.com" target="_blank">newgtld@Verisign.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [EXTERNAL] RE: RRA Amendment Notification for .net [ ref:_00D616tJk._5004MnYS1n:ref ]<u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<table border="0" cellspacing="3" cellpadding="0" width="1185" style="width:888.75pt;background:rgb(245,236,206)">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="1175" style="width:881.25pt;padding:0.75pt">
<p><strong><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(153,51,0)">Caution:</span></strong><span style="color:rgb(153,51,0)"> </span><span style="color:black">This email originated from outside the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless
you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. </span><u></u><u></u></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dear Camia and Verisign,<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In regard to the .net RRA amendment, the RrSG has concerns about the changes to the Force Majeure language in Section 6.3 and the impact it could have on registrants. Specifically, by including cyberattacks as a force majeure events, registrars
negatively impacted by the registry’s failure to perform will have no recourse for such events. We worry that this leaves our customers without remedy in such a case.
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Could Verisign provide us with some additional details on the context and intent behind this language, particularly as it applies to our concern noted above?
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Many thanks,<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ashley Heineman<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Chair, RrSG<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<div>
<div style="border-right:none;border-bottom:none;border-left:none;border-top:1pt solid rgb(225,225,225);padding:3pt 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> ICANN Global Support Center <<a href="mailto:globalsupport@icann.org" target="_blank">globalsupport@icann.org</a>>
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, November 18, 2021 12:11 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:secretariat@icannregistrars.org" target="_blank">secretariat@icannregistrars.org</a>;
<a href="mailto:rra@icann.org" target="_blank">rra@icann.org</a>; Ashley Heineman <<a href="mailto:aheineman@godaddy.com" target="_blank">aheineman@godaddy.com</a>><br>
<b>Cc:</b> <a href="mailto:camia.frank@icann.org" target="_blank">camia.frank@icann.org</a>; <a href="mailto:jeanne.gregg@icann.org" target="_blank">
jeanne.gregg@icann.org</a>; <a href="mailto:robert.gomez@icann.org" target="_blank">robert.gomez@icann.org</a>;
<a href="mailto:andrew.dickson@icann.org" target="_blank">andrew.dickson@icann.org</a>; <a href="mailto:amanda.fessenden@icann.org" target="_blank">
amanda.fessenden@icann.org</a>; <a href="mailto:andee.hill@icann.org" target="_blank">andee.hill@icann.org</a>;
<a href="mailto:newgtld@verisign.com" target="_blank">newgtld@verisign.com</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> RRA Amendment Notification for .net [ ref:_00D616tJk._5004MnYS1n:ref ]<u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<div style="border-top:none;border-right:none;border-bottom:none;border-left:4.5pt solid rgb(185,74,72);padding:0in 0in 0in 14pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:rgb(242,222,222)"><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(185,74,72)">Caution:</span><span style="color:black">
</span><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(185,74,72)">This email is from an external sender. Please do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Forward suspicious emails to isitbad@.</span><u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
<p> <u></u><u></u></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hello Ashley, <br>
<br>
Attached, please find the cover letter and the red-lined RRA Amendment for the following TLD submitted by <b>Verisign, LLC</b> to be shared with your Stakeholder Group:
<u></u><u></u></p>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">
<b>.net</b><u></u><u></u></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal">Please respond by <u>23:59 UTC on Thursday, 09 December 2021</u> to let us know if your Stakeholder Group has concerns, does not have concerns, or if additional review time is required. If the Stakeholder Group has concerns, ICANN org will
continue with the next step of the RRA Amendment Procedure, which is to consult with the RrSG and the Registry Operator to attempt to resolve any such concerns. <br>
<br>
Warm Regards,<br>
<br>
Camia Frank<br>
GDS Service Delivery<span style="border:1pt solid windowtext;padding:0in"><img border="0" width="100" height="100" style="width: 1.0416in; height: 1.0416in;" id="gmail-m_-4679824691573267719Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:17e9d5be33c4ce8e91" alt="Image removed by sender."></span><br>
<br>
ref:_00D616tJk._5004MnYS1n:ref <u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br clear="all">
<u></u><u></u></p>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<hr size="0" width="33%" align="left">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div><br clear="all">
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%">
<div id="gmail-m_-4679824691573267719ftn1">
<p class="gmail-m_-4679824691573267719MsoFootnoteText"><a href="#m_-4679824691573267719__ftnref1" name="m_-4679824691573267719__ftn1" title=""><span class="gmail-m_-4679824691573267719MsoFootnoteReference">[1]</span></a>
<i>See e.g.</i>, <i>Amazon Route 53 Domain Name Registration Agreement</i> at Section 13.11 (excluding liability and compensation, reimbursement or damages “arising in connection with (a) your inability to use the domain name registration services, including
as a result of any . . . any unanticipated or unscheduled downtime of all or a portion of the services for any reason, including as a result of power outages, system failures or other interruptions.”);
<i>Google Domains Domain Name Registration Agreement</i> at Section 11 (noting that “Neither we nor our suppliers, warrant that the [domain name registration] Services will be error-free or uninterrupted.”)
</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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</blockquote></div></div>