[NLnet] "NLnet announces fund to make software more secure with DNSSEC"

[Perslijst voor stichting NLnet]

NLnet announces fund to make software more secure with DNSSEC
'Grants for open source projects that enable new secure protocol'

                                          Maastricht, July 29th 2010

In order to speed up the process of introduction of a new and more
secure global domain name technology, the Netherlands-based charity
NLnet foundation announces that it will open a global fund where open
source projects can apply for grants to work on DNSSEC in their internet
applications. The announcement was made during a panel session on the
future of DNS organised by the Internet Society.

DNSSEC (short for DNS Security Extensions) is one of the key
technologies for a safer internet, as it allows the internet user to
know for sure that he or she is being sent to the right computer or
service on the internet. "If you type the name of your bank into a
browser, you want to be sure that you actually are directed to a
computer of that bank," says Michiel Leenaars, director of Strategy at
NLnet foundation. "Domain names are vital to the way we use the
internet, and without DNSSEC users are open to serious abuse."

The new fund will hand out full grants for reengineering important
software - such as browsers, email servers and voip clients - to
reliably work with DNSSEC. "The signing of the root of the internet
through DNSSEC is a historical moment, but in a way it only is the
beginning", says Leslie Daigle, Chief Internet Technology Office at the
Internet Society. "Actual users will not fully benefit from protection
in the more challenging situations as long as DNSSEC does not reach
them". A great deal of work has already been done at the
infrastructure level - most DNS servers such as BIND, NSD and Unbound
now support the new technology. However, it will take a lot of work at
the user level as well: operating systems, web browsers, email servers,
and many more pieces of software need to be able to reliably work with
DNSSEC.

"Every internet user deserves to be protected by DNSSEC, yet currently
almost no end user software is ready to take full profit from the
availability of DNSSEC," says Leenaars. "The IT community has a big
responsibility in making sure that DNSSEC gets deployed across the board
swiftly. We aim to accelerate the process significantly by putting some
money on the table, and we invite other stakeholders to join us". NLnet
Foundation is a registered Netherlands charity with a long history in
supporting internet standardisation. NLnet gained its capital from
selling the first Dutch internet provider.

Potential applicants can find more information on http://nlnet.nl/dnssec

---------

Niet voor publicatie/not for publication:

Meer informatie/more information:

Michiel Leenaars
Director of Strategy
NLnet Foundation
Science Park 140
1098 XG Amsterdam
Nederland

Telefoon/Phone: +31 (0)20 8884251
Mobiel/Cell phone: +31 (0)6 27050947
m.leenaars [at] nlnet.nl

*** About NLnet Foundation

NLnet Foundation is a widely respected private charity fund supporting
open standards and open source worldwide, and has over the years
actively contributed to (internet) standards, open source projects and
subsidiary or enabling activities such as the development of GPLv3.
NLnet foundation is an independent organisation whose means came
initially from interest on a very substantial own capital formed in
1997 by the sale of the first Dutch Internet Service Provider. Its
private capital ensures an absolute independent position. The articles
of association for the NLnet foundation state: "to promote the exchange
of electronic information and all that is related or beneficial to that
purpose". NLnet believes in open standards and open source. At the
moment, dozens of projects and organizations are supported financially.
Amongst them: research laboratory NLnet Labs, the Free Software
Foundation, KSplice, TOR, SPEAR, NAT64 and the Internet Society.

                                            More info: http://nlnet.nl
                                      For logo's: http://nlnet.nl/logo