Re: VERY firghtening news (fwd)

[Michael Dillon <michael@memra.com>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1999 15:18:00 -0500
From: Sean Donelan <SEAN@SDG.DRA.COM>
Reply-To: list@inet-access.net
To: list@inet-access.net
Subject: Re: VERY firghtening news

>Ummm... NSI runs one root server. One. There are twelve others out there.

NSI operates more than one root server (A and J), and they also operate
all the GTLD servers (F, J and K).  In other words, NSI operates 5 out of
the 12 .COM name servers (almost half).

Since it was a .COM domain, root-servers A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I,
GTLD-servers F, J, K; and networksolutions.com add NS.NETSOL.COM,
NS2.NETSOL.COM, and NS2.INTERNIC.NET; are the starting points.

f.gtld-servers.net and ns2.netsol.com are currently not responding
to name server queries.  I do not know the reason.  Significantly
absent from the list is L.root-servers.net at ISI/ICANN, L does not
serve the .COM domain, only the ".".

NSI is using slippery words to spread FUD.  If you read carefully NSI
did not say the FBI is investigating ICANN, rather a ISP located in
the same Marina Del Ray building as ICANN.  Its an office building,
and there are lots of network providers in it.  Since ISI happens to host
part of MAE-LA, that's a bit like saying the FBI is investigating the
building where MCI/Worldcom is located if an ISP at MAE-East was used. 

And don't forget, it could still be operator error.  Or NSI may have made
a security mistake configuring f.gtld-servers.net, which allowed someone
to get in.  Or as someone pointed out, it could be an insider.  As was
seen in the Pairgain case, an employee can do these things even without
the knowledge of the management.
-- 
Sean Donelan, Data Research Associates, Inc, St. Louis, MO
  Affiliation given for identification not representation
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