What else happened?

New gTLDs

The possibility of introducing new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) has been under discussion for some years. In early 2012, ICANN began accepting applications to create new extensions. The process of applying to establish a new gTLD is complex, costly and time-consuming. SIDN has the knowledge and technical expertise to support applicants with that process. So, in 2012, SIDN assisted three new gTLD applications: for .amsterdam, .overheidnl and .politie. In the course of 2013, the Ministry of the Interior withdrew its application for .overheidnl. However, .amsterdam is expected to become operational in 2014, with SIDN acting as back-end registry service provider.
In preparation for that role, SIDN developed a new domain registration system in 2013 specifically for the .amsterdam gTLD. The system is derived from DRS5, which SIDN uses for the registration and maintenance of .nl domain names. During the year, all SIDN's internal processes were also adapted in readiness for the provision of registry services for top-level domains other than .nl.

Innovation programme

In the second half of 2012, SIDN began an intensive innovation programme, with a view to diversifying its activities. The aim of diversification is to assure the organisation's continuity and to increase SIDN's added value to the Dutch internet community. In 2013, the innovation programme yielded two business cases, one of which has since been developed into an operational service, the Domain Name Surveillance Service.

Preparation for a role in trust frameworks

A trust framework is a set of agreements designed to enable reliable identification and authentication on the internet. The development of trust frameworks is important for the maintenance of confidence in the internet. In 2013, SIDN participated in discussions in connection with various trust framework initiatives, including Qiy, TrustTester and IRMA ('I Reveal My Attributes').
Preparations were also made to enable SIDN to perform a supervisory role within a trust framework.

Three CENTR Award nominations

In 2013, CENTR (the Euro-centric association of registries for country-code domains) made a series of special achievement awards. SIDN was nominated in no less than three categories:
  • Security Award - for Bert ten Brinke, Security Officer at SIDN, for his work in the CENTR Security Working Group
  • R&D Award - for SIDN Labs, for development of the EPP key relay to enable the secure transfer of DNSSEC-protected domain names
  • Marketing and Communication Award - for SIDN's Marketing Department, for its promotion of DNSSEC

Sponsorship of with ISPConnect

A strong, well-organised internet sector is important to the Dutch economy. In April 2013, SIDN therefore entered into a one-year sponsorship agreement with ISPConnect, the trade association for Dutch internet service providers. The sponsorship gives ISPConnect the opportunity to raise the standard of organisation within the sector and to represent the sector's interests more effectively to political decision-makers and others. The funding will also be used to support research in fields such as hosting. The ultimate aim is for ISPConnect to become an association of active members, capable of standing on its own feet.

CENTR Jamboree 2013

CENTR regularly organises themed workshops for member registries. The workshops focus on topics in fields such as marketing, legislation and regulations, R&D, administration and technology. Since 2012, CENTR has also put on an annual jamboree: a week-long gathering that includes a variety of workshops. In June, SIDN was host and principal sponsor of the second CENTR Jamboree, which took place at Amsterdam's Krasnapolsky Hotel.

SIDN Agenda

Web server compromised

On Tuesday 9 July 2013, SIDN discovered a number of unauthorised files on one of its servers, indicating that the security of the company's (web) server environment had been compromised. Preventive action was immediately undertaken to protect the integrity of the .nl zone.
The web interface for SIDN's Domain Registration System (DRS) was temporarily closed and publication of the .nl zone file – and thus the distribution of new and updated domain data on the internet – was postponed. The registration of domain names via the DRS's automated EPP interface remained possible throughout the incident. All services were fully restored on the morning of Wednesday 10 July.

Recertification

Originally secured in 2011, SIDN's ISO27001 certification was renewed in 2013. SIDN was particularly satisfied that the annual audit revealed no points requiring improvement. ISO27001 is an information security quality standard. Certification serves to demonstrate that the availability, continuity, confidentiality and integrity of information are of a very high standard. SIDN was the first registry in the world to organise its operations in accordance with the standard and to be awarded an ISO27001 certificate.

FIRST membership

SIDN CSIRT is SIDN's Computer Security Incident Response Team. The team investigates and coordinates the response to all security incidents involving SIDN's ICT infrastructure. In 2013, SIDN's CSIRT joined FIRST, the global forum in which incident response and security teams share technical information and best practices. FIRST works to ensure that global security incidents are tackled in a coordinated manner.

Contributions to ICANN and CENTR

SIDN is a member of both ICANN and CENTR. ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) is a non-profit organisation with responsibility for (amongst other things) the issue and assignment of new top-level domains and the distribution of IP addresses. CENTR is a Euro-centric association of registries for country-code domains, which acts as a forum for the discussion of domain name registration policy matters. In 2013, SIDN made a contribution of € 114,000 to ICANN and a contribution of € 46,000 to CENTR.