<h2><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"">News
Alert</span></h2>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a href="http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-22feb10-en.htm">http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-22feb10-en.htm</a></span></p>
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<h2 style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Mitigating
Malicious Conduct in New gTLD - Zone File Access</span></h2>
<p style="margin-top:11.25pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:
0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">22
February 2010</span></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a href="http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/zfa-concept-paper-18feb10-en.pdf">Zone
File Access Concept Paper</a> [PDF, 260 KB]<br>
<a href="http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/zone-file-access-en.htm">Cost
Model Information</a> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">In one of many efforts to
mitigate the potential for malicious conduct in new gTLDs, ICANN formed the
Zone File Access (ZFA) Advisory Group following an announcement on 3 December
2009 (see, <a href="http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-03dec09-en.htm">http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-03dec09-en.htm</a>).
ICANN sought the participation of a diverse and knowledgeable set of volunteers
to discuss alternatives for Zone File Access. The group was charged with
discussing benefits and exploring methods to effectively and efficiently
enhance access to zone file information in an environment with many gTLDs. The
Anti-Phishing Working Group and others have described access to zone data as an
effective tool for combating DNS abuse. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">On behalf of the ZFA Advisory
Group, ICANN is opening a public comment forum on the ZFA Concept Paper (the
"Paper") that describes standardized forms of access to zone file
information. The Paper proposes four alternative implementation models for
community consideration. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The Paper focuses on
technical, operational, and administrative challenges for data providers and
consumers in an environment with a potentially large number of gTLD registry
zone files. Specifically, the work of the group targets consumer concerns relating
to difficulties of accessing this important information in the new environment.
For those combating DNS abuses, the goals of the program are to reduce the
differences in and complexity of contractual agreements; standardize
approaches; improve security and zone file access methods. Goals for gTLD
registries include managing overhead related to zone file access and
considering ways to improve service while maintaining administrative control
over zone data. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><b><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#CC0000">The ZFA Advisory Group plans
to conduct </font></b><a href="http://nbo.icann.org/node/8876"><b><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#CC0000">a workshop</font></b></a><b><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#CC0000"> on its Paper
and on-going activities at the ICANN meeting in Nairobi on Wednesday, 10 March
2010 from 12:00-13:30 UTC</font></b>. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">A copy of the Paper is
available <a href="http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/zfa-concept-paper-18feb10-en.pdf">here</a>
[PDF, 260 KB]. The cost model referenced in the Paper is available <a href="http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/zfa-cost-model-18feb10-en.xls">here</a>
[XLS, 106 KB]. Comments on the Paper submitted to <a href="mailto:zfa-concept-15feb10@icann.org">zfa-concept-15feb10@icann.org</a>
will be considered until 8 April 2010 23:59 UTC. Comments may be viewed at <a href="http://forum.icann.org/lists/zfa-concept-15feb10/">http://forum.icann.org/lists/zfa-concept-15feb10/</a>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">All documentation related to
the work of the group, including an archive of its mailing list and MP3s for
its teleconferences, is available at <a href="http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/zone-file-access-en.htm">http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/zone-file-access-en.htm</a>.
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