Building a Safer Internet Through DNS: Identity Digital's Commitment to Online Trust

Last week, organizations across 100+ countries celebrated Safer Internet Day 2025. Safer Internet Day serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of protecting our sensitive information and underscores the vital role domain registries play in securing the online ecosystem. As a registry, we understand our unique position in the Internet ecosystem and our responsibility to combat online abuse at its source.

The DNS: A First Line of Defense

The Internet has become an integral part of modern life, with most people spending considerable time online for both professional and personal activities. In this digital landscape, reliable domain registries play a crucial role in maintaining stability and security, enabling content creators, businesses, and organizations to establish trusted online presences and meaningfully engage with their target audiences.

The DNS’s position as a central hub for web traffic makes it an ideal checkpoint for detecting and preventing malicious activity before it can harm users. Forward-thinking organizations are increasingly leveraging DNS capabilities as a strategic tool to build a more secure internet environment that benefits all users.

Domain registries play an important role in cybersecurity, as they help protect against serious threats that can erode user trust and compromise personal information. These threats include phishing schemes, malware distribution, pharming attacks, botnet operations, and spam campaigns. DNS abuse represents a particularly concerning challenge, as it can not only harm individuals but also undermine faith in the internet as a unified, reliable platform for global communication. Addressing these challenges requires coordinated effort across the entire digital ecosystem, from registry operators and domain registrars to hosting companies and online service providers, all working together to prioritize security and maintain the internet's value as a tool for collaboration.

Our Multi-Layered Approach to DNS Security

We implement several key strategies to maintain the integrity of our DNS infrastructure:

Real-time Threat Detection: Identity Digital continuously monitors for suspicious activity patterns, enabling us to identify and respond to emerging threats rapidly. This includes monitoring for red flags associated with malware distribution and spam operations.

Collaboration with Security Partners: We maintain strong partnerships with law enforcement agencies, nonprofit organizations including the Internet Watch Foundation and other registries to share threat intelligence and coordinate responses to large-scale attacks. This collaborative approach strengthens the entire domain ecosystem.

Empowering Safety: Education, Awareness and Prevention

While technical measures are crucial, we recognize that creating a safer Internet requires a holistic approach:

Education and Awareness: We regularly provide resources to help domain owners understand security best practices and their role in maintaining a safe online environment. This includes guidance on implementing Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC), managing Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates, and recognizing potential security threats.

Policy Development: Our abuse prevention policies are continuously refined based on emerging threats and industry best practices. We work closely with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and other governing bodies to develop and implement policies that promote a secure and stable DNS.

Looking Forward

As we celebrate Safer Internet Day 2025, we're proud of our contributions to online safety, but we recognize that this is an ongoing journey. The threat landscape continues to evolve, and so must our defensive strategies. Identity Digital remains committed to:

• Investing in advanced DNS security technologies
• Strengthening our abuse prevention frameworks
• Expanding our threat intelligence networks
• Supporting industry-wide security initiatives

Together, we can build an Internet that's more secure, more trustworthy, and more valuable for everyone. This Safer Internet Day, let's recommit to that vision and take concrete steps to make it a reality.