tzNIC TO HOLD A WORKSHOP ON INTERNET SECURITY (DNSSEC) FOR DECISION MAKERS AND INTERNET ENGINEERS

Tanzania Network Information centre (tzNIC), the registry and manager of Tanzania’s country code Top Level Domain (.tz ccTLD) in collaboration with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN ), an entity that coordinates the global Internet operations, has prepared  a two days  workshop  on Domain Name System Security otherwise known as DNSSEC Roadshow to be held on Wednesday 18^th and Thursday 19^th September  2013 here in Dar es Salaam at Kilimanjaro Auditorium  hall of Bank of  Tanzania (BOT).

 The Domain Name System (DNS) is an hierarchical distributed naming system that translates the domain names to Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. This is a critical part of the Internet as it enables human beings to use Internet easily. 

The translation is inevitable due to the fact that human beings can memorize names better than numbers and computers on the Internet communicate using numbers (IP addresses).  When the DNS was designed, security was not a concern and thus it was designed with no security mechanism. 

This led to attackers taking advantage by redirecting requests by Internet users to fake websites. This attack commonly known as DNS cache poisoning brought about a new security extension to DNS called DNSSEC. This mechanism ensures that users are directed to the correct online service they are seeking and thus eliminate the risk of redirection to fake websites. In fact the DNSSEC ascertains trustworthy of a service provided through the Internet. 

The workshop or roadshow is meant for both the decision makers and internet engineers from governmental and private institutions. 

While decision makers will be equipped with knowledge that  will enable them to make the essential decisions of adopting DNSSEC, the technical participants will be provided with hands on skills on how to deploy DNSSEC for security of their systems that are linked to the Internet. 

The event hopes to build the awareness of tzNIC's deployment of DNSSEC, enhance the general public awareness of using secure .tz domain names, inform the decision makers of the risk they are having by not deploying DNSSEC, build the technical competence of the local engineers on how to deploy DNSSEC as well as establish the demand by end users (registrants) and the general public of the need of secure .tz domain names so that they can run DNSSEC enabled websites. 

The Workshop will also serve as a platform for networking among stakeholders and users  of .tz domains.

 The workshop facilitators are Mr. Alain Patrick AINA who among others is a network Engineer and member of  ICANN Stability and Security Advisory committee (SSAC) since  year 2002 as well as member of  Internet Society Board of trustees 2011-2014. Another resource person is Dr. Richard Lamb, ICANN's DNSSEC Project Manager.

 The workshop is part of an initiative by ICANN, the organization that coordinates the unique identifiers (IP addresses and domain names) across the world, without which there would not be one global Internet. The initiative is one of the African-ICANN Strategy unveiled at the Toronto ICANN 45^th International Public Meeting by the new ICANN President/CEO Mr. Fadi Chehade. tzNIC offered to host the workshop since its realization of deploying DNSSEC in February 2013 and being the 3^rd country in Africa to deploy it. 

Among others, this achievement has enhanced .tz registry to become runners up of the first  AFRICA's DNS Awards  that took place in Durban, South Africa  early July this year.

.tz – Passionately Tanzanian

 Issued by Tanzania Network Information Centre (tzNIC)