14 People Who Hold the Key to Internet Security

BENGALURU: Internet has become the best buddy of most of the people. Offering needed information instantly, it has made the world smarter by providing all the information at a single touch of the finger tip.  In spite of using it to a great extent, yet there are many things that we should know.

Did you ever know the fact that the entire internet is guarded by seven highly protected keys, managed by 14 people?

In the next couple of days, the entire world will be reminded of these important people and enlightened about the significance of these 14 people through a historic ritual known as the Root Key Signing Ceremony.

Safeguarding the World Wide Web: Domain Name System (DNS)

DNS is a virtual storage space comprising of a series of registers linking web addresses to a series of numeric, called IP addresses. Without these addresses, one would probably have had to enter some numeric "23.15.135.11" instead of domain name.

The people organizing the event are part of Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Having a control over ICANN's database is like managing the whole internet and being accountable to assign numerical internet addresses to websites and computers.

The 14 Authorized Players

These 14 people possess a traditional metal key to unlock and reveal things inside safe deposit boxes. Inside the box is the smart key cards. The device that generates internet master key can be accessed using multiple keys known as a root key-signing key.

This key churns out more keys to make it more complex and secure to protect various bits and pieces of the internet, which is used in various locations and used by different internet security organizations.

One Ritual of the entire world

The security surrounding event is highly intense and includes a series of highly secured doors locked using key codes and hand scanners. After passing through the locked doors, there is a room that is shielded against electronic communications. Inside this room the Crypto Officers meet with other ICANN officials, and, typically, some guests and observers.

Meeting

The complete process of the event is planned well in advance and shared with the participants. The event is conducted as scripted and each individual logs out of the room separately.

Basically, they will be modifying the "key pair" upon which all the DNS security is shaped, known as the Root Zone Signing Key.

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