Minutes | Meeting of the Technical Committee of the Board (BTC) | 20 July 2023

Board Member and Liaison Attendees: Avri Doria (Chair), Harald Alvestrand, Alan Barrett, Nicolas Caballero, Edmon Chung, James Galvin, Wes Hardaker, Christian Kaufmann, and Patricio Poblete

ICANN Organization Attendees: John Crain (SVP and Chief Technology Officer), Matt Larson (VP, Research), Wendy Profit (Board Operations Senior Manager), Jennifer Bryce (Project Manager), Carlos Reyes (Sr. Policy Director, Community Operations and Programs), Erika Randall (Associate General Counsel) and Sarah Zagha (Counsel)

Invited Guests: Audrey Randall (UC San Diego), Suzanne Woolf and Matthew Thomas (Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC) Name Collision Analysis Project (NCAP) Working Party (WP) chairs) - only present for agenda item no. 1

The following is a summary of discussions, actions taken, and actions identified:

1. BTC Update Session with the Name Collision Analysis Project (NCAP) DG Admin – The Committee received an update on the NCAP work from Matt Thomas and Suzanne Woolf, the NCAP Discussion Group Admin co-chairs. It was noted that Study 2 is progressing well. The Discussion Group is currently going through a period of editorial revisions, and is conducting focused discussions on certain areas in order to bring these areas to a group consensus.

2. The Challenges of Blockchain-Based Naming Systems for Malware Defenders – Audrey Randall (UC San Diego) gave a presentation to the Committee on how Blockchain naming systems are a threat to malware defenders (mostly botnets and some ransomware). The presentation started with a brief summary of Blockchain naming systems and how they differ from DNS as C2 naming systems. This was followed by a discussion on how blockchain naming systems are currently abused by malware operators. Audrey identified locations for defenders to stage interventions against malware (blocklists, legal interventions, and host seizures). The presentation described the factors that make an effective intervention, and described previous successful internations. Audrey concluded with the reasons why blockchain-based naming systems are not invulnerable.

3. Approval of Pending Meeting Reports – The 29 June 2023 Committee Preliminary Report will be circulated via email after his Committee meeting for the Committee's approval.

4. Action Item Review – The Chair established the agenda for the meeting. Two action items were discussed and reviewed. The Chair and ICANN org took a new action item to review the current Action Item Review list and ensure completeness.

   • Action Item #1: ICANN org to make minor editorial change to resolution clause in SAC113 paper (place "SAC113" in the first sentence to clarify what the resolution pertains to) is completed.

   • Action Item #2: Board Ops to schedule a 45-minute time slot during a future Committee meeting in which the researcher from the University of San Diego to present her findings to the Committee is completed.

5. Priority Project Updates – The Committee received an update on the following projects:

   • SAC113 Implementation Update: ICANN org noted that a full update related to the implementation of SAC113 will be given during the next Committee meeting,

     • Action Item: ICANN org to give an update on SAC113 Implementation during the next Committee meeting.

   • Domain Name System Security Facilitation Initiative Technical Study Group (DSFI-TSG) Report - Feasibility Assessment: ICANN org noted discussions were being held as to the Committee's and Board's roles in moving this work forward.

   • Root Server System Governance Working Group (RSS GWG) 037/038 Implementation: ICANN org reported on the GWG's discussions of the financial principles for root server operators. It was noted that as part of the GWG's recommendations in the principles for the Root Server System governance structure, the group will be providing interpretation notes to assist the eventual structure that addresses issues as they arise. It was also noted that between now and ICANN78, the GWG will be focusing on these interpretation notes and will begin to assemble that document of the principles for the Board and for the stakeholders of the Root Server System.

6. Updates from Technical Liaisons – The Committee received an update from the following Board Technical Liaisons:

   • SSAC (James Galvin): The Committee was notified that the SSAC has selected a new chair from among its membership and will be announced. Furthermore, a new vice-chair has been selected. It was noted that the annual SSAC workshop will be held in September 2023, two weeks after the Board workshop. Agenda items for that worksop will include ideas for ICANN's five-year strategic plan, a deep dive into the NCAP report, and DNS issues.

   • RSSAC (Wes Hardaker): The Committee was notified that RSSAC002 version 5 has been published. It was also noted that a new RSSAC caucus work party on RSS security incident reporting has been formed, and the work party has seven goals (including creating a security incident reporting for the entire Root Server System and making recommendations to the Root Server governance structure).

   • IETF (Harald Alvestrand): No significant updates to report.

7. Any Other Business - The Chair noted that the Alternative Naming System & ICANN topic is currently memorialized within a living document that a small group of Committee members have created and placed within the Committee's working directory. This document will serve as a guide to frame the discussion on this topic.

   • Action Item: The Committee and ICANN org to review the Alternative Naming System & ICANN paper, and consider topics relating to Alternative Naming Systems that could be discussed at the next Committee meeting.

The Chair called the meeting to a close.