OpenDNSSEC 2.1 was released in February 2017, and in the past two-and-half year it has proven itself to be stable and viable upgrade of 1.4, and has additional features and improvements. Therefore we announce end-of-life of OpenDNSSEC 1.4. One of the steps towards future releases of OpenDNSSEC that have better experience and with shorter cycles.

Starting today, October 8, 2019, in accordance with our policies, we will only provide essential fixes and support until 9 October 2020, after which support will no longer be available. We feel confident that existing installations can upgrade without much hassle and offer support to our customers in doing so.

OpenDNSSEC 2.1 serves as the replacement for the 1.4 LTS. The current version is 2.1.4 (download | announcement). There is a migration step necessary, for which you can find a good breakdown at the migration page.

For future releases we will be in contact with the community and interested parties about how to proceed exactly. OpenDNSSEC 2.2 with main feature fast updates has had a number of testing releases that can be found on our distribution server. We do not however expect 2.2 to become an LTS release as on customer feedback, other improvements will lead to a more interesting release on which we can build.

References

• Most recent LTS version https://dist.opendnssec.org/source/opendnssec-2.1.4.tar.gz
• Migration guidelines for 1.4 to 2.1
• Access to beta releases for testing purposes.

The CrypTech Alpha is a fully open source hardware cryptographic engine. This week the CrypTech team released version 3 of their software and firmware. We gave it a test run and found that their efforts did pay off. OpenDNSSEC 2.1.1 is found to be working smoothly with the Alpha Board. Thank you CrypTech!

June 8, 2012 – The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) and the Swedish company OpenDNSSEC AB (svb) are pleased to announce they are partnering on an initiative to make the Internet more safe and secure. CIRA will provide support for the continued development and enhancement of OpenDNSSEC, a free administration tool that uses open source code to simplify the implementation of Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC).  DNSSEC is a set of extensions that will significantly improve online security.

“The support from CIRA is valuable to OpenDNSSEC AB in its effort to develop the software. It gives us the opportunity to strengthen the project with Sara Dickinson from the research and development company Sinodun as a project manager,” said Patrik Wallström, Acting President of OpenDNSSEC.

“We are pleased to offer our support to the OpenDNSSEC project,” said Byron Holland, President and Chief Executive Officer of CIRA. “It is through initiatives like this that CIRA can help foster a safe and secure Internet experience for all Canadians.”

OpenDNSSEC is being developed in an international co-operation project with several participats: .SE (The Internet Infrastructure Foundation), Kirei, NLnet Labs, Nominet, SIDN, Sinodun Internet Technologies, and SURFnet. The OpenDNSSEC software was released in beta in 2009, and it has undergone significant improvements since that time.

OpenDNSSEC AB was formed in 2011 to support other top-level domain administrators in their use of the tool to manage Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC). The company develops the software and offers training and support agreements.

More about the software and DNSSEC

OpenDNSSEC simplifies the management of DNSSEC, an extension of the Internet’s open directory service DNS, which prevents Internet and e-mail addresses from being manipulated and ensures that they lead to the right online destination. In OpenDNSSEC, which .SE was involved in the development of, the necessary processes are automated to eliminate the need for manual management.

Under DNSSEC, Internet zones are cryptographically signed. When looking up a domain name, the signature is controlled using a key published by the party responsible for this zone.

OpenDNSSEC is available for free download at: http://www.opendnssec.org

For more information, please contact:

Patrik Wallström, Acting President of OpenDNSSEC AB (svb)
Telephone: +46 733 17 39 56
E-mail: patrik.wallstrom@iis.se

Maria Ekelund, Head of Communications at .SE
Telephone: +46 8-452 35 27, +46 70-777 44 87
E-mail: maria.ekelund@iis.se

About OpenDNSSEC AB (svb)

OpenDNSSEC AB (svb) is a non-for-profit company with the mission to facilitate the deployment of DNSSEC through open source and open standards, in order to enhance the security for the Internet’s infrastructure. Mainly, this is done by developing, maintaining and promoting the open source software OpenDNSSEC, which is available for free download on this website, offered under a 2-claused BSD license.

Besides managing and developing the software, the company’s other main activity is to provide supporting services related to it – i.e. training, consulting and software services. These services contribute to the open source software both as a source for financing and by providing opportunities to promote OpenDNSSEC. At present, the company is owned in full by .SE (The Internet Infrastructure Foundation).

About CIRA

The Canadian Internet Registration Authority is the member-driven organization that manages Canada’s .CA domain name registry, develops and implements policies that support Canada’s Internet community, and represents the .CA registry internationally.

For more information, please contact:
Tanya O’Callaghan
Communications Manager, Canadian Internet Registration Authority
+1 (613) 237-5335 ext. 262
tanya.ocallaghan@cira.ca

The Swedish company OpenDNSSEC AB (svb), which is operated by .SE (The Internet Infrastructure Foundation), will receive a capital injection of £35,000 from Nominet, which is in charge of the British UK top-level domain .uk. This will provide additional stability to the operation, which develops the OpenDNSSEC software, as well as support and training when introduced to promote a more reliable Internet.

In collaboration with Nominet among others, .SE jointly developed the free OpenDNSSEC administration tool, which uses open source code, to significantly simplify the implementation of secure DNS, thus making the Internet more reliable. An initial beta version was launched in 2009 and has since been advanced.

The OpenDNSSEC company was formed in 2011 to support other top-level domain administrators in their use of the tool to manage DNSSEC. The company develops the software and offers training and support agreements.

“Nominet’s financial support is valuable to OpenDNSSEC AB in its efforts to develop the software and offer support to other top-level domain administrators who want to implement DNSSEC. OpenDNSSEC significantly simplifies the implementation process and will ultimately entail a more reliable Internet,” says Patrik Wallström, Acting President of OpenDNSSEC.

“It is fitting that as Nominet celebrates reaching 10 million .uk domains, that we are making this investment to protect the continued security and stability of the Internet. We recognise the importance of rolling out DNSSEC as widely as possible and for our own part, we are pleased to have successfully signed .uk at all levels. This investment represents a natural progression of our work as helping other top level domains to follow suit should help to ensure that DNSSEC is implemented more extensively.” says Roy Arends, Head of Research at Nominet.

More about the software and DNSSEC

OpenDNSSEC simplifies the management of DNSSEC, an extension of the Internet’s open directory service DNS, which prevents Internet and e-mail addresses from being manipulated and ensures that they lead to the right online destination. Using OpenDNSSEC, which .SE was involved in the development of, the necessary processes are automated to eliminate the need for manual management.

Under DNSSEC, Internet zones are cryptographically signed. When looking up a domain name, the signature is controlled using a key published by the party responsible for this zone.

OpenDNSSEC is available for free download at: http://www.opendnssec.org

For more information, please contact:

Patrik Wallström, Acting President of OpenDNSSEC AB (svb)
Telephone: +46 733 17 39 56
E-mail: patrik.wallstrom@iis.se

Maria Ekelund, Head of Communications at .SE
Telephone: +46 8-452 35 27, +46 70-777 44 87
E-mail: maria.ekelund@iis.se

For Nominet please contact Patrick Yiu at Brands2Life
nominetuk@brands2life.co.uk
+44 20 7592 1200

About .SE

.SE (The Internet Infrastructure Foundation) is a not-for-profit public-service organization that acts to promote the positive development of the Internet in Sweden. .SE is responsible for the Internet’s Swedish top-level domain, .se, encompassing domain-name registration and administration, as well as the technical operation of the national domain name registry. Proceeds from domain-name registrations are used to support projects that contribute to the Internet development in Sweden, through proprietary operations and the financing of independent projects. Read more at http://www.iis.se

About Nominet

Nominet is the not-for-profit organisation responsible for the smooth and secure running of the .uk infrastructure. A public service ethos drives everything we do – we strive to make the Internet an ever more trusted space for everyone who uses it.

As one of the world’s largest Internet registries, we maintain a ‘directory’ of domain names ending in.uk, and run the technology which locates the computer hosting the website or email address you are looking for.

Our public purpose is manifest in two principal investments – the independently run Nominet Trust and knowthenet.org.uk

Internet Engineers Collaborate On Open Source Project To Secure the Domain Name System.

OpenDNSSEC lowers the threshold for ISPs, Hosting companies and Name Server Operators to deploy secure DNS.

London, 30th July 2009 – The OpenDNSSEC project announces the development of Open Source software that manages the security of domain names on the Internet. The project intends to drive adoption of Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) to further enhance Internet security.

Industry leaders including .SE (The Internet Infrastructure Foundation), NLNetLabs, Nominet, Kirei, SURFnet, SIDN and John Dickinson have come together to create open source software that promises to make it easier to deploy DNSSEC. The group’s primary aim is to further protect the Internet by increasing the security for end-users.

Removing the manual aspect of deploying DNSSEC using the open source software is set to make it easier for Internet service providers, web hosting companies and name service operators to deploy DNSSEC, which will significantly increase the number of DNSSEC users.

Specialists can download a preview of the OpenDNSSEC technology in order to gain experience with the OpenDNSSEC software, and give feedback to the project. It is available from http://www.OpenDNSSEC.org

OpenDNSSEC features:

• No manual management is needed for signing a zone or managing the cryptographic keys. The software manages the entire process from unsigned to signed zones.
• OpenDNSSEC is supplied with a licence that gives a green light to suppliers of commercial products who want to utilise the open source code and include it in their own software, without having to open up their own code.
• The software works with all different versions of the Unix operating systems and is suitable for both those who need to sign a few very large zones (for example TLDs) and for those responsible for a large number of smaller zones.

Lesley Cowley, CEO at Nominet comments: “Making the Internet a more trusted place for all is one of Nominet’s main objectives. This is a key initiative for us and we actively support and encourage the development of any software that will create an environment safe for Internet users. We enjoyed working with other registries who share our vision to develop this tool and will continue working with them.”

Patrik Wallström, responsible for DNSSEC at .SE comments: “In order to spread the use of DNSSEC to an increased number of domain names, the management surrounding this technology must be simplified. Together with a number of collaborators, we’re developing OpenDNSSEC. Leveraging our deployment experience, we will produce a well-packaged, easy-to-use and flexible DNSSEC tool that eliminates all manual procedures. Those in charge of name servers no longer need detailed knowledge about the protocol in order to use it.”

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Notes to Editors

About OpenDNSSEC

OpenDNSSEC is a tool which simplifies the process of signing one or more zones with DNSSEC. OpenDNSSEC handles the entire process from an unsigned to a signed zone automatically, including secure key management and timing issues. With OpenDNSSEC, fewer manual operations are needed by the operator.

OpenDNSSEC makes sure that all the steps in signing process are done in the correct order and at the right time, making sure that nothing breaks. The issue of handling the private keys associated with DNSSEC signing has been secured by using so called HSM:s (Hardware Security Modules), so that that the private keys can not be leaked to an unauthorized third party, just keeping them secured in hardware.

It is an open source solution under a BSD license that gives a green light to suppliers of commercial products who want to utilise the open source code and include it in their own software, without having to open up their own code.

OpenDNSSEC works in all Unix-like operating systems and is suitable for those who will only sign a single large zone (e.g. TLDs) and as well as those who have many small zones (e.g. web hotels, ISPs)

About Nominet

Nominet operates at the heart of e-commerce in the UK, running one of the world’s largest Internet registries and managing over seven million domain names. Nominet maintains the register of .uk domain names and runs the DNS infrastructure that keeps .uk working.

It runs the technology that locates a computer in the Internet hosting the web site or email system you’re looking for when you type in a web address or send an email to an address that ends in .uk.

Nominet is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee that has members not shareholders, pays no dividends and its charges only cover its running costs. Anyone with an interest in the Internet may become a member. Nominet has over 2,800 members representing all areas of the Internet industry.

Nominet also runs the Tier 1 registry for UK ENUM, a new UK registry service that combines telephone numbers and the Domain Name System to simplify the way telephone calls over the Internet work.  ENUM lets callers know that you can receive VoIP calls – it allows more VoIP calls to be connected directly over the Internet, for no charge, rather than via the traditional PSTN network.

About NLNetLabs

NLnet Labs is based in the Netherlands and was founded in 1999 by Stichting NLnet. It is a non-profit public benefit research foundation aimed at providing open source and open standards tools for internet communication.

It focuses on developments in Internet technology. It provides a bridge between theory and practical deployment that need to be built; and areas where development, engineering, and standardisation takes place.  Stichting NLnet has provided a long-term commitment in the form of a subsidy contract such that NLnet Labs can guarantee support for the software it develops. It is committed to provide maintenance for Unbound.

NLnet Labs key activities are to develop, implement, evaluate, and promote new protocols and applications for the Internet. Its activities are focused on topics directly relating to the Internet’s infrastructure, such as DNS, DNSSEC, IPv6, and routing.

About .SE (The Internet Infrastructure Foundation)

.SE  (The Internet Infrastructure Foundation) is an independent utility that acts to promote positive development of the Internet in Sweden. .SE is responsible for the Internet´s Swedish top-level domain, .se, encompassing domain name registration and administration, as well as the technical operation of the national domain name register. Profits from domain name registrations are used to support projects that contribute to Internet development in Sweden. For more information, see www.iis.se

About Kirei

Kirei AB (www.kirei.se), founded in 2005 by Jakob Schlyter and Fredrik Ljunggren, is a consultancy company with its main focus on information security management and network architectures. The Kirei founders have been working with DNS and DNS Security within the IETF community since 1999 and have played an active role in the DNSSEC standardization process as well in the deployment of DNSSEC in several top level domains.

About SURFnet

SURFnet is responsible for the Dutch university network and has contributed security and cryptographic assistance. More information is available at www.surfnet.nl.

About SIDN

SIDN is responsible for the functional stability and development of the .nl Internet domain. As well as registering and allocating .nl domain names, the organisation enables Internet users all over the world to make use of these labels at any given moment.

About John Dickinson

John Dickinson is a DNS consultant providing Internet research and software development services. His focus is on making DNS security simple to deploy and manage by helping to develop and improve Open Source software. He has many years of experience in the provision of mission critical DNS services and Internet technology research.

For Further Information please contact:

Gemma Griffiths or Elissa Fry at Racepoint UK

Tel: 020 8752 3205 / 2272

Email: nominetuk@racepointgroup.co.uk