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Date		Statement
Name 

Status

Assignee(s) and
RALO(s)

Call for
Comments		Call for
Comments
Close 		Vote
Announcement 		Vote OpenVote
Reminder		Vote CloseDate of SubmissionStaff Contact and EmailStatement Number
23.09.2012SSAC Report on Dotless DomainsAdopted
13Y, 0N, 1A		Sergio Salinas Porto (LACRALO)10.09.201213.09.201214.09.201214.09.201220.09.201221.09.201222.09.2012Kurt Pritz
kurt.pritz@icann.org 		AL/ALAC/ST/0912/3
Comment/Reply Periods (*)Important Information Links
Comment Open:24 August 2012
Comment Close:23 September 2012
Close Time (UTC):23:59 UTCPublic Comment Announcement
Reply Open:24 September 2012To Submit Your Comments (Forum)
Reply Close:14 October 2012View Comments Submitted
Close Time (UTC):23:59 UTCReport of Public Comments
Brief Overview
Originating Organization:ICANN
Categories/Tags:
  • Top-level Domains
  • Security / Stability
Purpose (Brief):This purpose of this public comment period is to bring to your attention of the SSAC's report on dotless domain [PDF, 183 KB] and to solicit your input on ICANN's implementation of the recommendations in this report.
Current Status:Open for public comment
Next Steps:Comments will be collected and incorporated into a briefing paper for the ICANN board.
Staff Contact:Kurt PritzEmail:kurt.pritz@icann.org
Detailed Information
Section I: Description, Explanation, and Purpose

Dotless domains are domains that consist of a single label (e.g. http://example as opposed to example.tld or mail@example as opposed to mail@example.tld) and there is an A/AAAA or MX records in the APEX of a TLD zone.

On 23 February 2012, the ICANN Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC) published SAC 053: SSAC Report on Dotless Domains [PDF, 183 KB]. In this report, the SSAC stated that dotless domains would not be universally reachable and the SSAC recommended strongly against their use. As a result, the SSAC recommended that the use of DNS resource records such as A, AAAA, and MX in the apex of a Top-Level Domain (TLD) should be contractually prohibited where appropriate, and strongly discouraged in all cases.

On 23 June 2012, the ICANN Board adopted a resolution tasking ICANN to consult with the relevant communities regarding implementation of the recommendations in SAC053.

Section 2.2.3.3 of the Applicant Guidebook essentially prohibits the use of dotless domains, stating that the only permissible DNS Resource Records for the apex in a TLD zone (i.e., the TLD-string itself) are: SOA, NS, and relatedDNSSEC records. The same section also states, "An applicant wishing to place any other record types into its TLD zone should describe in detail its proposal in the registry services section of the application. This will be evaluated and could result in an extended evaluation to determine whether the service would create a risk of a meaningful adverse impact on security or stability of the DNS."

One option under consideration to implement the SSAC's recommendation could be to amend the base new gTLDagreement to prohibit A, AAAA and MX records in the apex of the TLD.

Do you have any input for ICANN to consider in relation to ICANN's implementation of SAC 053: SSAC Report on Dotless Domains [PDF, 183 KB]?

Section II: Background
On 23 February 2012, the ICANN Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC) published SAC 053: SSAC Report on Dotless Domains [PDF, 183 KB]. In this report, the SSAC stated that dotless domains would not be universally reachable and the SSAC recommended strongly against their use. As a result, the SSAC recommended that the use of DNS resource records such as A, AAAA, and MX in the apex of a Top-Level Domain (TLD) should contractually prohibited where appropriate, and strongly discouraged in all cases.
Section III: Document and Resource Links
SAC 053: SSAC Report on Dotless Domains [PDF, 183 KB]
Section IV: Additional Information
None

(*) Comments submitted after the posted Close Date/Time are not guaranteed to be considered in any final summary, analysis, reporting, or decision-making that takes place once this period lapses.


FINAL DRAFT

Please click here to download a copy of the final draft in PDF format.


FIRST DRAFT

Please click here to download a copy of the draft below in PDF format.

 

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1 Comment

  1. Julie Hammer

    As the ALAC Liaison to the SSAC, I recognise the intent of this proposed ALAC statement, drafted by Sergio Salinas Porto (ALAC Member - LACRALO), is to:
    - applaud the work that has been done by the SSAC on Dotless Domains,
    - concur with the conclusions of the SAC053 Report, and 
    - support the recommendations of the SAC053 Report.
    This is certainly a worthwhile message to feed back to the SSAC.  However, as currently written, the proposed ALAC statement reiterates much of the SAC053 Report itself, often using identical or almost identical wording.  It is not clear that these statements are actually drawn from the report and, if read in isolation, may incorrectly appear to be ALAC words rather than SSAC words.   I recommend that the ALAC statement does not need to repeat what has been said in SAC053, but should be reduced to a succinct statement of commendation and endorsement as suggested above.
    Julie Hammer
    ALAC Liaison