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DHS Wants Master Key for DNS

Posted by Zonk on from the they-own-all-the-locks-and-doors dept.

An anonymous reader writes "At an ICANN meeting in Lisbon, the US Department of Homeland Security made it clear that it has requested the master key for the DNS root zone. The key will play an important role in the new DNSSec security extension, because it will make spoofing IP-addresses impossible. By forcing the IANA to hand out a copy of the master key, the US government will be the only institution that is able to spoof IP addresses and be able to break into computers connected to the Internet without much effort. There's a further complication, of course, because even 'if the IANA retains the key ... the US government still reserves the right to oversee ICANN/IANA. If the keys are then handed over to ICANN/IANA, there would be even less of an incentive [for the U.S.] to give up this role as a monitor. As a result, the DHS's demands will probably only heat up the debate about US dominance of the control of Internet resources.'"

10 of 266 comments (clear)

  1. How are you gentlemen. by bluemonq · · Score: 4, Funny

    All your IP are belong to us. You are on the way to being rooted. You have no chance to 200 make your time.

  2. Sure, you can have the master key... by Cylix · · Score: 5, Funny

    When you pry if from my cold dead hands!

    --
    "You should always go to other people's funerals; otherwise, they won't come to yours." -- Yogi Berra
    1. Re:Sure, you can have the master key... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Your proposal is acceptable.

      -- DHS.

    2. Re:Sure, you can have the master key... by frinkacheese · · Score: 2, Funny

      ..In other news Cylix, a Slashdot poster was found dead today outside his home. Police investigating suspect that theft was the motivation as his wallet was missing.

      Various Internet companies today suspect that their domain names have been compromised. Blaming the new "secure" DNS system, companies are still unable to tell what the extent of this damage is.

      Also in todays news:

      Iran in massive cleanup operation after Israeli nuclear strike.
      Microsoft again found guilty of anti-trust violations.
      SCO share price collapses after serious fraud office investigation.
      British government standardize on Linux for all new IT deployments.

  3. We asked, you spoke, we listened. END OF STORY by sciop101 · · Score: 3, Funny
    US Gov: We want the key.

    We are denied the key.

    We deny having the key.

    --
    The only thing new in this world is the history that you don't know.[Harry Truman]
  4. Obligatory by Pepebuho · · Score: 1, Funny

    One Key to Rule them all,
    One key to find them,
    One Key to bring them all,
    and in the darkness bind them

    In land of Bush, where the shadows lie...

  5. Hah. The US government has answered. by SLi · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm glad the US government decided to answer themselves the very short-sighted people who are almost in the majority in every ICANN-shouldn't-be-controlled-by-the-US article who ask something like "Who would you trust more to control the Internet, the US government or a body where countries with poor human rights record have a say".

  6. Re:The crucial signing key is for Windows Update by iminplaya · · Score: 2, Funny

    Heh, Good thing I turned off Windows update

    --
    What?
  7. Re:DNSSec by FuryG3 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hopefully they'll devote enough resources at keeping this information as secure as they do for my SSN.

  8. Re:DNSSec by WallaceAndGromit · · Score: 2, Funny

    Oh, it'll be secure... till some bureaucratic moron takes the laptop home with the key on it and it gets stolen.

    --
    555-55-5555

    --
    Name: Mr. Anon E Mouse; SSN: 555-55-5555