RE: [council] RE: Fast Flux Report - questions

["Gomes, Chuck" <cgomes@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Sorry to sound like a broken record, but the more I think about the
issue, the more I am convinced that the best thing we could do as a
Council before initiating a PDP is to develop very specific list of
questions and form an expert panel that is tasked with trying to answer
the questions.  The expert panel could be formed from volunteers from
the SSAC, the APWG, and constituencies that have expertise related to
the use of fast flux.  Such a panel could be given a relatively short
timeline, assuming they can complete the work in that timeline.  It is
possible that, if the right experts are included, they might be able to
respond to the questions in a month or two.
 
Chuck

________________________________

From: owner-council@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-council@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Liz Gasster
Sent: Friday, April 18, 2008 3:19 PM
To: Rosette, Kristina; council@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [council] RE: Fast Flux Report - questions 



Kristina and all,

 

Following are responses below from staff where we can.  I believe some
of your questions highlight the need for further study (possibly in more
areas than we've identified in the report, as some of your questions
suggest).  

 

Happy to try to answer further where we can, if you have more questions.
I just want to note again too that given the short time frame to prepare
the report, the breadth of sources we were able to draw upon were
necessarily limited.  I really like your idea about noting sources and
including a bibliography when we prepare issues reports in the future,
and I'm going to add this as a suggestion in our GNSO improvements
process so that we capture this idea to consider in the development of a
new policy development process.  

 

Liz

 

________________________________

From: owner-council@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-council@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Rosette, Kristina
Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2008 7:00 AM
To: council@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [council] Fast Flux Report - questions 

 

All, 

Here are some initial questions/requests about the report.  I will
forward additional questions soon. 

Page 1:  The report states that staff "consulted other appropriate and
relevant sources of information".  In the interest of transparency, I
would appreciate having those sources be identified.   As a general
note, it may be helpful to all readers of the report if the issues
reports included a bibliography or sources consulted section.

LG -- staff considered the SAC Advisory (SAC 025) and I also consulted
extensively with Lyman Chapin.  We referred to the email exchanges on
the SSAC list during the period of time in which the SSAC folks were
discussing fast flux and  preparing SAC 025, the presentations and
transcripts from the SSAC workshops in Los Angeles
(http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/78
<http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/78> )

and Delhi (http://delhi.icann.org/node/97
<http://delhi.icann.org/node/97> ), and informally with a few other
sources.

Pages 6, 14:  One interpretation of the reference to "domains in ccTLDs
are targeted as well" is that there is no "lasting value" to developing
gTLD policy regarding any issue that occurs in both gTLDs and ccTLDs.
Is this interpretation intended?

LG  -- Chuck's comment was right.  There could be a benefit to
coordinating with the ccNSO.  Not making a judgment on "no lasting
value".

Pages 6, 14:  Similarly, one interpretation of the reference to "static
rules through a policy development process might be quickly undermined
by intrepid cybercriminals" is that there can be "no lasting value" to
developing gTLD policy regarding any issue that results from or is
associated with cybercriminals because they move more quickly than the
PDP and, as interpreted by one IPC member, "are smarter than we are".
Is this interpretation intended?

LG - That is why we mention the importance of developing best practices,
which then can be enhanced and upgraded over time to keep up better with
new techniques developed to undermine existing deterrent techniques.
Perhaps a policy outcome might point to the need to adopt rigorous best
practices and refresh on an ongoing basis.  But my understanding on fast
flux is that these best practices do not necessarily exist today, so the
question might be how to encourage their development in a structured and
focused way, as a necessary precursor to deciding how to encourage or
require their widespread adoption.  Might the GNSO Council take on a
convening role here?  Or encourage or direct in some other way?  In this
context, the inference of concern about "lasting value" of imposing a
specific practice is intended. 

Page 8:  For how long and on what scale has proxy redirection been used
to maintain high availability and spread the network load?

LG - We need to study this more.  The key question I was raising is,
"are there valid uses that need to be considered, that could be
undermined if certain deterrent steps were imposed?"  It is not clear
from our cursory view how broadly this is used - seems also unlikely
that there would be need for such constant and frequent fluxing in this
context, but we couldn't determine for sure either way.  

Page 9:  Did more than one person describe evasion of "black holing"
"anecdotally as a possible 'legitimate use'" of fast flux?  Any evidence
or research to suggest that it actually happens?  

LG -- This is anecdotal and may only be one entity, another potential
subject of further study.

Page 10:  How likely is that fast flux hosting "could be significantly
curtailed by changes in the way in which DNS registries and registrars
currently operate"?

LG - Would need to study further.

Page 11:  Is it technically possible now for registries and registrars
to act in two ways set forth in report?  Practically possible?  If so,
do they?  If not, have reasons for not doing so been provided and, if
so, what are they?

LG - Would need to study further.

(I have not included a scope clarification question because I understand
that it has already bee posed.) 

Many thanks. 

Kristina