The National Security Agency and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a cybersecurity information sheet, “Selecting a Protective DNS Service” on Thursday. This publication details the benefits of using a Protective Domain Name System (PDNS), which criteria to consider when selecting a PDNS provider, and how to effectively implement PDNS.
[news release] ICANN org has extended the date that Registry Reports will permanently move to ICANN Open Data to 30 July 2021. This means Registry Reports will still be available on https://icann.org on the Registry Reports landing page beyond the previously announced 15 March deadline. The extension gives the community more time to adjust to the upcoming changes announced on 7 January 2021. On 30 July 2021, ICANN Open Data will become the permanent home of Registry Reports.
PIR is on a mission to improve the domain name space for fellow registries, registrars and registrants. More than a year and a half ago – in May 2019 – the .org registry introduced the Quality Performance Index, or QPI. In doing so, they created a roadmap to identify best practices and incentives for registrars to reduce abuse rates and increase renewals of .ORGs.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced it will begin overseeing the .gov top-level domain (TLD) as of April 2021. CISA is working closely with the U.S. General Services Administration, who currently oversees the TLD, to ensure a seamless transition of daily operations for .gov customers.
Total new gTLD registrations have been on a downhill slide since late September 2020 according to nTLDstats.com and the decline is continuing. Verisign’s authorative Domain Name Industry Brief released this week reports that in the final quarter of 2020, new gTLD domain name registrations dropped 4.2 million to 26.0 million which equates to a drop of 13.8% compared to the third quarter of 2020. Over the year new gTLDs decreased by 3.3 million or 11.2%.
The XYZ Registry launched 4 beauty-related new top-level domains this week plus .quest. .Beauty, .Hair, .Skin, and .Makeup which are being aimed at independent beauty brands, influencers, big-brand cosmetic companies, salon owners, medi-spas, dermatologists, skincare specialists/aestheticians, suppliers, hair stylists, barbers, makeup artists, fashion designers and other beauty industry insiders. Plus there’s the destination-driven .Quest domain that’s being pitched at gurus, experts and enthusiasts of any field, a go-to domain for anyone seeking a specific service and/or product.
The registry fee for domain names under Iceland’s ccTLD will increase for the first time since the ccTLD was delegated over 30 years ago, the registry ISNIC announced.
The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) launched a call Tuesday for applications for projects to improve internet access in Canada. Over C$1 million in grants will be awarded to community groups and researchers working on infrastructure, cybersecurity, digital literacy and community leadership projects – with preference given to those that benefit students, as well as northern, rural, and Indigenous communities.
Anyone interested in applying for leadership positions in ICANN has had the deadline for applications extended to 29 March, the 2021 Nominating Committee (NomCom) announced.
CentralNic has made yet another acquisition, this time Wando Internet Solutions GmbH for €5.4m (US$6.5m). Based in Berlin, Germany, Wando is a technology company operating in the fields of social marketing, display advertising and SEM Advertising.