Security, Stability, and Resiliency of the DNS Review (SSR)

Objectives of the SSR Review

Under the Bylaws, Section 4.6(c), ‘The Board shall cause a periodic review of ICANN’s execution of its commitment to enhance the operational stability, reliability, resiliency, security, and global interoperability of the systems and processes, both internal and external, that directly affect and/or are affected by the Internet’s system of unique identifiers that ICANN coordinates (“SSR Review”).’

The issues that the review team for the SSR Review (“SSR Review Team”) may assess are the following:

1. security, operational stability and resiliency matters, both physical and network, relating to the coordination of the Internet’s system of unique identifiers;
2. conformance with appropriate security contingency planning framework for the Internet’s system of unique identifiers;
3. maintaining clear and globally interoperable security processes for those portions of the Internet’s system of unique identifiers that ICANN coordinates.

The SSR Review Team shall also assess the extent to which ICANN has successfully implemented its security efforts, the effectiveness of the security efforts to deal with actual and potential challenges and threats to the security and stability of the DNS, and the extent to which the security efforts are sufficiently robust to meet future challenges and threats to the security, stability and resiliency of the DNS, consistent with ICANN’s Mission.

The SSR Review Team shall also assess the extent to which prior SSR Review recommendations have been implemented and the extent to which implementation of such recommendations has resulted in the intended effect.

The SSR Review shall be conducted no less frequently than every five years, measured from the date the previous SSR Review Team was convened (see Bylaws, Section 4.6(c)).

Timeline of Review

• The first SSR Review concluded in 2012; the second review (SSR2) commenced with a Call for Volunteers in June 2016.
• Further reviews to be conducted no less frequently than every five years, measured from the date the previous SSR Review Team was convened.

One SSR Review has been completed to date, to assess the extent to which "ICANN has successfully implemented its security plan, the effectiveness of the plan to deal with actual and potential challenges and threats, and the extent to which the security plan is sufficiently robust to meet future challenges and threats to the security, stability and resiliency of the Internet DNS, consistent with ICANN's limited technical mission."

​Watch a brief video by David Conrad, ICANN's CTO, as he discusses the 2nd Security, Stability and Resiliency of the DNS Review Team.

The graphic below illustrates phases and status of each review - a  indicates that all activities within a given phase have been completed.  The chart that follows the graphic provides further details of key activities and milestones within each phase – you can view these details by clicking on each of the phases in the graphic.  The table also contains links to relevant documents.

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