RE: [whois-sc] DRAFT 3: Task force 2

[Steve Metalitz <metalitz@xxxxxxxx>]

Milton wrote:

-
>{+++INSERT+++ The Security and Stability Advisory Committee
>has expressed concerns about the impact of inaccurate Whois data on the
>ability to contact needed parties when technical problems arise.]

No. IF in fact SECSAC has expressed such concerns (and where
is the citation?) I would have to see the context, because the idea 
that the stability of the Internet rests upon contacting any individual 
registrant of a SLD, is a very hard case to make. I would challenge any 
assertion to that effect. In general the "stability of the Internet" hand
has been overplayed so often that the bluff needs to be called. Some
of us actually have a pretty good idea of how DNS works. 

See http://www.icann.org/committees/security/sac003.htm
for the context, including the following:

(From Exec Summary)

The port 43 Whois protocol has traditionally been used by the Internet
community to identify and provide contact information for the person or
organization responsible for many Internet resources, for example, a domain
name or an IP address. It has been successfully used in a cooperative manner
for situations such as informing a person or organization of inappropriate
use of their resource (security), or incorrect configuration of their
resource (stability). Whois data is thus important for the security and
stability of the Internet as the administration and control of Internet
resources is widely distributed.

The accuracy of Whois data used to provide contact information for the party
responsible for an Internet resource must be improved, both at the time of
its initial registration and at regular intervals. Whois records known to be
false or inaccurate must be frozen or held until they can be updated or
removed. Whois records that have information that can not be validated may
be frozen or held until it can be verified.