ICANN: GNSO Video Site Launches

The GNSO website is currently undergoing some changes to improve its user friendliness and accessibility.

One of the new features on the site is a new GNSO video page: gnso.icann.org/en/news/videos. Over time, this new page will act as a source for media clips on a variety of topics and information of value to the ICANN community generally as well as specific topics directed to those specifically interested in the generic top level domain names space.

Recommendations for Adding Cybersecurity Intelligence to the Smart Grid Josh Ray, Verisign

Over the last few years, there has been an increased effort to modernize the U.S. electric grid. Building a “Smart Grid” has been central in the effort to help utilities better manage their resources, minimize power outages and reduce energy consumption. However, adding more electronic devices and sensors to the grid’s network has made it a prime target of cyberattacks, like Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, which if successful, could cause wide-spread disruption of services affecting many other sectors.

 

According to a recent ICS-CERT incident response from The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT), an organization within the Department of Homeland Security’s National Protection and Programs Directorate, of the 257 reported incidents ICS-CERT collected in 2013, 56 percent, or 151 incidents, occurred in the energy sector, which exceeded all incidents reported in the other sectors combined. Keep in mind that because reporting of cyber incidents is done on a voluntary basis, ICS-CERT estimates that many more incidents occurred but were not reported.

As new, advanced cyberattacks on public utilities are expected to grow in frequency, what should these organizations be doing to prepare? Below are recommendations for a new approach to cybersecurity for critical infrastructure based on recent research from Verisign iDefense Security Intelligence Services:

 

1. Build security solutions into the front-end design: It is important that the energy sector build security solutions into the front-end design, manufacturing and deployment of Smart Grid systems and components. And as the roll out of the Smart Grid continues to take place, the energy sector will need to address legacy equipment issues and access control usage, while continuing to tighten its security policies and procedures.
2. Examine the use of remote connections: While threat mitigation is an ongoing concern, organizations managing critical infrastructure will also need to examine the use of remote connections to their enterprises and determine how to best manage user access from the perspective of the least-privilege principle for access control.
3. Frequently monitor for vulnerabilities and have a mitigation plan in place: The energy sector should frequently monitor their systems and networks for vulnerabilities, and embrace a full-scope risk management program for both the Information Technology (IT) and Industrial Control Systems (ICS) sides of the house. This will be critical for the success of their security programs.
4. Protect availability of critical systems:  It is imperative that public utilities have a multilayered mitigation strategy in place to restore services quickly in the event of a DDoS attack. Due to the critical nature of smart grid networks, a hybrid approach to DDoS mitigation, which includes a dedicated appliance on the network, layered with a cloud-based DDoS solution to provide real-time adaptive mitigation that protects against both high-volume and targeted application-level DDoS attacks, may provide the most comprehensive protection.
5. Invest in third-party expertise: Working with third-party security providers and experts can provide energy/utility companies with powerful tools to combat today’s cybersecurity risks as well as help them develop advanced threat intelligence capabilities to proactively protect their assets. Given what is at stake, all energy companies should consider making this investment.

To learn more about cybersecurity intelligence or DDoS protection services, visit www.VerisignInc.com/cybersecurity.  

This article by Verisign’s Josh Ray was sourced with permission from the Verisign blog at:
blogs.verisigninc.com/blog/entry/recommendations_for_adding_cybersecurity_intelligence

T.R.A.F.F.I.C. West 2014 Announces Keynote Speakers

Rick Schwartz announced today the keynote speakers for T.R.A.F.F.I.C conference to be held at the end of the month.

 

The two keynote speakers are Howard Lefkowitz,former Vegas.com CEO and Duane Forrester,Bing’s Senior Product Manager.Howard Lefkowitz will speak Friday, May 30 at 11:30 ,while Duane Forrester will be speaking on Thursday, May 29 at 10:15 .

T.R.A.F.F.I.C. West 2014 conference will be running from May 28th – May 31,2014 at the Bellagio Resort in Las Vegas.

Here is the announcement :

“We are just 2 weeks away from T.R.A.F.F.I.C. and the agenda for Thursday and Friday will be done by this time next week. The focus of the show is taking a domain and making a business out of it. We will have at least 3 sessions just focusing on that.

To that end we have as our keynote speaker the former President and CEO of Vegas.com Howard Lefkowitz. Besides being brilliant, Howard is quite entertaining and he will tell you things you may not want to hear. It won’t be politically correct either. So come with an open mind and leave with a truck full of ideas.

We then have two more sessions focused on taking a domain and making it a business in ONE HOUR! Adam Dicker will show you his way then Michael Gilmour will show you another way.

Dwayne Forrester from Bing.com will also be making a keynote presentation. And while Dwayne is an expert in search, our focus will be how Bing plans to keep taking market share away from Google; why Bing is the future and why an alliance with the domain community is in everyone’s self interest.

In addition to that we will have an open discussion led by Michael Castello, about matters that unite and concern us all no matter what your relationship is to the domain community. Our Freedoms may be in jeopardy. We saw just last week Vladimir Putin making bloggers register. The freedoms we have enjoyed and taken for granted are being curtailed. Will that affect you and your bottom line in a negative way?

The MAIN motivation for those who come to T.R.A.F.F.I.C. is that over the years we have proven that T.R.A.F.F.I.C. focuses on staying on the cutting edge. We present practical solutions to problems that may be incurred and find new ways to give you tools to progress.

In addition to all that, our Premier Sponsor GetitFido.com will be presenting a new monetization solution that is sure to rock the other fellas on their heals. It has been YEARS since we have seen someone coming in ready to shake things up. If you see your payouts dropping 1%, 2% or 5% or more each and every month, then this is the single biggest reason to attend. A solution that does NOT use Google!

But wait there’s more!

gTLD’s have their 5 minutes of fame FREE as we offer them all podium time to talk directly and unfiltered to our audience. That stage time is priceless. Just ask a few folks from the last shows how it launched them. This session will be moderated by Jothan Frakes.

Plus we will have DomainSherpa LIVE with yours truly, hosted by Michael Cyger with Michael Berkens, Adam Dicker, Page Howe and a special guest.

But wait there is STILL MORE!!

gTLD’s from HYPE to HANDICAPPING. You heard their pitch. Now what? Michael Cyger of DomainSherpa.com will moderate this provocative panel.

We all have friends involved with the new gTLD’s and knowledgeadble domain investors will logically handicap the rollout all the gTLD’s. Plus, they’ll discuss which ones have the most likely chance of wide adaptation and increasing values and how long that will take. Then they will go a step beyond and measure it against traditional extensions and the time vs return and risk vs reward ratios. Not all gTLD’s are created equal.

But wait there is STILL MORE!!

We still have 2 additional sessions that will be announced next week that just may shake things up even further. We don’t shy away from the big issues, we tackle them head on and the chips will fall where they may.

So if you are still undecided about why you should come to TRAFFIC Las Vegas??

Because this will be our last show in Las Vegas as we prepare to move operations to the west coast. (more about that some other time)

Because we are focused on domain investors and their concerns, questions and futures.

Because T.R.A.F.F.I.C. means B.U.S.I.N.E.S.S. and your absence will speak volumes. If you want business, then you have to go out and get it because if not you, then guess who will get it?”

CentralNic Reports £1 Million in Earnings and Almost £4 Million in Revenue

CentralNic announced its audited results for the year ended 31 December 2013.The report showed a net cashflow from operating activitied of £1,134 million .

 

In 2013, bilings were £3,89 million, revenue £3,051 million, gross profit £2,338 million, adjusted EBITDA £1.015 million  and PBT £701,000.

Billings increased by 15 percent from £3,38 million in 2012 to £3,89 million in 2013 and net revenue increased by 4% ,from £2,93 million in 2012 to £3.05 million in 2013. Domain name net revenue also grew by 7 percent from £2,48 million in 2012 to £2,65 million in 2013,while gross profit margin increased to 76,6 % .

Post year end, the company also reported :

• Five new gTLDs entered launch phase in March and April 2014: .wiki; .xyz; .ink; .bar; .rest
• Four additional gTLD distribution contracts won – .website, .press, .host and .space, plus the distribution contract for .co.com
• Preferred supplier agreement signed with Domain Venture Partners (Fund II)
• Fully owned retail subsidiary TLD Registrar Solutions (“TLD RS”) launched with retail websites for .menu, .build, .luxury and .london

DomiNIC Domain Management software development progressing and marketing commenced

Commenting on the results, John Swingewood, Chairman of CentralNic, said:

“The Directors are extremely pleased with CentralNic’s strategic progress in 2013. The Company is achieving sustained growth resulting from the continued demand for our domain names, establishing new retail channels and securing new inventory. The Board is particularly pleased that these results are yet to include revenues from sales of our pipeline of new Top-Level Domains or of our new retail websites, all of which are starting their launch activities in mid-2014.

“Our objectives when we listed on AIM last year were to accelerate our growth through securing new retail channels, including our own proprietary channels, and obtaining new inventory through commercial and government contracts, including making strategic investments in new TLD applicants. I am delighted that we made progress in each of those areas in 2013. The Board is excited by the considerable opportunities for CentralNic and is confident that the Company will achieve its commercial targets for 2014.”

 

 

 

 

.CLUB , The 3rd Most Registered New Domain Extension

.CLUB managed to pass .Photography and jumped into third place of the most registered new domain extension. .CLUB has now 36,742 registration, at the time of writing this article.

 

Only .Berlin and .Guru have more registrations (.Guru has 55,871 registrations and .Berlin has 47,529 registrations) .

.CLUB exceeded 25,000 registrations on the first day of General Availability . There were 25,311 .club registrations on its first day of General Availability out of a total 28,245 registrations across all of the new gTLDs that are currently available, including those in their Sunrise period.

There are nine new gTLDs with over 20,000 registrations at the time of writing this article :

1. .guru55,871

2. .berlin47,529

3. .club36,742

4. .photography35,044

5. .xn--3ds443g (在线)30,980

6. .email28,788

7. .link23,989

8. .today23,471

9. .tips21,838