Ukraine asks ICANN to delete all Russian domains
- Reference: 1646165470
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2022/03/01/ukraine_icann_domains/
- Source link:
In an email
[1]PDF
, Fedorov asked Göran Marby, CEO of ICANN, to impose sanctions on Russia, arguing that the Putin regime has used internet infrastructure to propagandize its war effort.Specifically, he has asked for the revocation of domains “.ru”, “.рф”, “.su”, and others used by the Russian Federation, shutting down DNS root servers serving the Russian Federation, and contributing to the revocation of associated TLS/SSL certificates for those domains.
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"All of these measures will help users seek for reliable information in alternative domain zones, preventing propaganda and disinformation," Fedorov's email says.
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"Leaders, governments and organizations all over the world are in favor of introducing sanctions towards the Russian Federation since they aim at putting the aggression towards Ukraine and other countries to an end. I ask you kindly to seriously consider such measures and implement them as quickly as possible. Help to save the lives of people in our country."
Doing so would block [5]about five million domains from the global internet, and would significantly affect Russia's ability to communicate online.
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Fedorov's message was posted to [7]an ICANN mailing list by Oksana Prykhodko, who said she's a member of civil society in Ukraine and is enduring a sixth day of bombing in Kyiv.
Andrii Nabok, the Ukrainian representative of ICANN's Governmental Advisory Committee and head of broadband for the country's Ministry of Digital Transformation, emailed a copy of the message [8]to Marby and other ICANN officials. The message was also [9]posted to Pastebin.
In response to Prykhodko, Erich Schweighofer, a professor at the University of Vienna and ICANN community participant, [10]wrote :
ICANN is a neutral platform, not taking a position in this conflict but allowing States to act accordingly, e.g. blocking all traffic from a particular state
The professor continued: "We know and we are aware of the very difficult and dangerous situation. [The] EU will support you. However, removing Russia from the internet does not help supporting the civil society in this country for a democratic change. ICANN is a neutral platform, not taking a position in this conflict but allowing States to act accordingly, e.g. blocking all traffic from a particular state."
That sentiment was confirmed on Tuesday when the RIPE Network Coordination Center, the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) for Europe, the Middle East and parts of Central Asia – one of five RIRs that oversee Internet resource allocations – rejected Fedorov's request to take down the Russian internet.
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"It is crucial that the RIPE NCC remains neutral and does not take positions with regard to domestic political disputes, international conflicts or war," [12]wrote Christian Kaufmann, chairman of the RIPE NCC executive board.
[13]Maxar Technologies: The eye in the sky tracking invasion of Ukraine
[14]Microsoft: Russia invasion of Ukraine 'unlawful, unjustified'
[15]Tech world's Ukraine response mixes evacuation efforts, ad bans, free phones, infosec FUD
[16]ESA-Russia Mars rover launch on ice after Ukraine invasion
Not everyone shares that view. Antony Van Couvering, CEO of Top Level Domain Holdings, expressed support for Prykhodko's plea in a mailing list reply.
"Neutrality as a response to murder is not neutral," he [17]wrote . "What is the use of 'civil society' organizations if they won’t even speak up in support [to] protect civil society, much less do anything about it?
"Even politicians have woken up. Even the German government has woken up," he said. "Even the Swiss government has woken up! Meanwhile some people at ICANN are content to repeat empty phrases about not getting involved because it doesn’t help civil society in their country. So much for 'one world, one internet.'"
ICANN did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Namecheap offers qualified Ukrainian support
Meanwhile, domain registrar Namecheap has sided with Ukraine, and advised customers in Russia to take their business elsewhere, citing war crimes.
On Monday, the company sent out an email to Russia-based customers that began, "Unfortunately, due to the Russian regime's war crimes and human rights violations in Ukraine, we will no longer be providing services to users registered in Russia.
"While we sympathize that this war may not affect your own views or opinion on the matter, the fact is, your authoritarian government is committing human rights abuses and engaging in war crimes so this is a policy decision we have made and will stand by."
Richard Kirkendall, Namecheap's CEO, subsequently [18]posted a clarification to Hacker News.
"We haven't blocked the domains, we are asking people to move," he wrote. "There are plenty of other choices out there when it comes to infrastructure services so this isn't 'deplatforming.' I sympathize with people that are not pro regime but ultimately even those tax dollars they may generate go to the regime."
"We have people on the ground in Ukraine being bombarded now non-stop. I cannot with good conscience continue to support the Russian regime in any way, shape or form. People that are getting angry need to point that at the cause, their own government. If more grace time is necessary for some to move, we will provide it. Free speech is one thing but this decision is more about a government that is committing war crimes against innocent people that we want nothing to do with."
A spokesperson for Namecheap confirmed to The Register that Kirkendall did make that post and said the company on Tuesday had emailed an update to customers that outlined exceptions to its policy.
Namecheap Russia policy update:
We would like to make a correction to our policy of terminating services to customers in Russia — announced yesterday.
Firstly, we will make exceptions for all anti-regime media, protest resources, and any type of websites that are helping to end this war and regime — we will continue to welcome you using our services. Please accept our apologies for any disruption this caused, and we thank you for helping to fight against this tyranny.
The above also applies if you are no longer a resident of Russia and do not support the regime in any way.
Extending original termination date
For those who will still be affected by our decision to terminate Namecheap services to Russia, we are extending the termination date to three weeks from today. Please make sure you have moved your services to another provider by March 22, 2022.
If there are legitimate reasons that you may need more time, we will make exceptions if they are deemed reasonable.
The domain biz thanked customers for their "understanding." ®
Get our [19]Tech Resources
[1] https://eump.org/media/2022/Goran-Marby.pdf
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Yh6lmIxWtNgtM3rilVcNSgAAAI8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Yh6lmIxWtNgtM3rilVcNSgAAAI8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Yh6lmIxWtNgtM3rilVcNSgAAAI8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://cctld.ru/en/domains/about/
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Yh6lmIxWtNgtM3rilVcNSgAAAI8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/pipermail/at-large/2022q1/007816.html
[8] https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/pipermail/at-large/2022q1/007814.html
[9] https://pastebin.com/DLbmYahS
[10] https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/pipermail/at-large/2022q1/007819.html
[11] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Yh6lmIxWtNgtM3rilVcNSgAAAI8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[12] https://www.ripe.net/ripe/mail/archives/ripe-list/2022-March/002462.html
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/01/maxar_satellite_imagery/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/01/microsoft-russia-ukraine/
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2022/02/28/tech_response_to_ukraine/
[16] https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/01/rosalind_franklin_russia_mars_rover/
[17] https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/pipermail/at-large/2022q1/007824.html
[18] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30505495
[19] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
I wish namecheap would do something about all the fraudsters using their domain hosting for phishing scams. I swear every phishing text message I have ever received has been on their DNS.
> I swear every phishing text message I have ever received has been on their DNS.
Is that just a result of them being the cheapest? Are there some reasonable anti-fraud measures you know they could implement to flag most of the scammers when they sign-up?
Blocking all TLD Russian domains would hurt ordinary Russian citizens and business who have nothing to do with the invasion of Ukraine more than anything to do with the government. And could even affect some business based outside of Russia who registered a RU or SU domain purely because they wanted one.
I own a .PE domain name but am not based in Peru, targeting residents of Peru or have even been to the country.
If there are specific domain names the Russian government are using for propaganda purposed in their war then sure these domains should be revoked by ICANN
"Blocking all TLD Russian domains would hurt ordinary Russian citizens and business who have nothing to do with the invasion of Ukraine more than anything to do with the government."
So so all the banking measures which have been taken. If ICANN flies in the face of the world opinion they might find they've become IWAS.
> would hurt ordinary Russian citizens and business who have nothing to do with the invasion
Yes. That's usually how sanctions work.
Putin has already secured the Domain Servers internally, so disconnecting the DNS wont have much affect. other than to lock the Russian public DNS access to overseas websites. The Russian Firewall was tested several years ago. So its only a matter of time before he activates it.
There is also a BIG CYBER attack about to occur against both UA and the rest of the world by the FSB.
I'm old school (and getting "old"), but the original email from NameCheap certainly looks unprofessional. It reads more like an angry, fist-shaking forum post by a whiny keyboard warrior than an actual missive from a corporate entity. Maybe I'm just jaded by the constant, excessive use of the "11" position on the volume knob related to whatever the Social Cause of the Day is, so when something actually serious comes up, it doesn't stand out as much from the background noise. Or maybe I'm just getting old and need to turn-in my acoustic coupler and drop off the Internet...
Block the internet?
First, I unreservedly support Ukraine against the unprovoked Russian invasion.
But ICANN blocking the internet is a slippery slope that I don't want to start sliding down. Besides which, they have no authority to take compliance action against ccTLD (country code Top Level Domain) operators.
Namecheap, OTOH, is fully capable and authorized to take down individual domains. Furthermore, they have the information to only take down Russian domains which are register by someone in Russia and not a non-Russian company which has a domain to do business in Russia.
P.S. I wouldn't mind if somebody loaned the Ukrainian government a data wiping zero day.
Re: Block the internet?
How does Russia get its internet connectivity and why does it still have it? How hard would it be to drop all packets going to or from Russian IP addresses?
Is the +7 international dialling code also going to be revoked?
And the word RUSSIA on envelopes?