Featured Blogs

ICANN’s New gTLD Round Draws 16 African Applications, 10 Controlled by a Chinese Business Network

A Seychelles company controlled by Lu Heng accounts for 10 of Africa's 16 new gTLD applications, linking ICANN's domain expansion to commercial interests and an ongoing dispute over AFRINIC's governance and IPv4 resources. more

Abolish The Public Suffix List

The Public Suffix List has become a critical dependency for web security despite inconsistent implementation, restrictive admission policies and limited maintenance resources. Its replacement would require coordinated standards development and greater domain operator control. more

The WiFi Dilemma: Why ISPs Get Blamed for Poor In-Home Connectivity

Poor in-home WiFi significantly increases broadband customer dissatisfaction and churn risk. New survey findings highlight the challenge ISPs face when customers blame providers for connectivity problems beyond their direct control. more

Unfolding Forensics of a Lawfare Train Wreck: The EU CRA

The EU Cyber Resilience Act faces mounting implementation challenges involving cybersecurity standards, vulnerability reporting, regulatory overlap and fundamental rights. The author argues that its expansive obligations risk undermining the regulation's effectiveness and enforceability. more

Submarine Cable Resilience Faces Growing Threats From Aging Fleets and Concentrated Ownership

Submarine cables underpin global communications, yet shipping accidents, sabotage risks and aging repair fleets threaten their resilience. Growing private ownership and fragmented international oversight raise difficult questions about infrastructure security, maintenance and accountability. more

Data Centers Can Profitably Clean Up Their Act

As opposition to large data centers grows, developers face mounting pressure to address environmental impacts, infrastructure costs and limited local economic benefits. Greater transparency and community engagement could prove more profitable than secrecy. more

The Fight for a String: Understanding ICANN’s Objection Process in the 2026 New gTLD Application Round

ICANN's 2026 new gTLD objection process presents applicants and rights holders with four distinct mechanisms for challenging proposed strings, each carrying different legal standards, evidentiary requirements and consequences for delegation. more

Why OCSP Now? A Fresh Take on Certificate Status Checking

Previous Verisign Informed™ posts emphasized the importance of high-assurance infrastructure and timely certificate status information, including revocation status, which can change after issuance or expiration and is essential for establishing trust in Internet security. more

Common Beliefs About DNSSEC Put to the Test: An Invitation to Fact-Check Your Assumptions

With its perception still tinged by decade-old notions, DNSSEC in 2026 bears little resemblance to its troubled early years. Here's what the evidence says about its benefits, cost, and availability today. more

Why So Many .do Domains Lack Functioning Websites: Exploring Strategic Uses of the Dominican Republic’s ccTLD

An analysis of 41,140 Dominican Republic .do domains reveals widespread website inactivity and distinctive naming patterns, raising questions about domain speculation, brand protection and the international appeal of the country's Internet namespace. more

Africa’s Digital Health Growth Exposes the Need for Stronger Cybersecurity Governance

As African healthcare systems adopt digital technologies, cybersecurity governance becomes essential to patient safety. Evidence from Ghana highlights gaps in institutional accountability, staff awareness and implementation, underscoring the need for stronger oversight and resilience. more

The TLD Fight Is On: 1,615 Applications, and One Question Nobody Is Asking

ICANN's 2026 new gTLD round attracted 1,615 applications, with competition concentrated on contested extensions. Strong registration growth contrasts with weak renewal rates, raising questions about long-term demand and commercial viability. more

From Apps to Agents: How the 2026 New gTLD Strings Mirror a Changed Internet

ICANN's 2026 new gTLD applications reveal a shift toward AI agents, developer infrastructure and digital trust, with .agent replacing .app as the most contested string amid growing competition and persistent geographic disparities. more

AI Is Raising the Stakes for Language Inclusion on the Internet

Research from the Coalition on Digital Impact reveals persistent barriers to online participation in native languages, raising concerns that AI could deepen linguistic inequalities unless language support becomes a foundational requirement of digital infrastructure. more

Big Brands, Bold Moves: The 2026 dotBrand Wave

ICANN's 2026 new gTLD round attracted 333 dotBrand applications, representing 20.6% of submissions. Participation across major industries reflects growing interest in controlling branded namespaces and strengthening enterprise digital identity. more