Internet Technologies

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Internet
Technologies

Internet technologies are essential for enabling the Internet to continue growing, evolving, and meeting the changing expectations of users. Enabling technologies contribute to improved Internet scalability, security, trust, and availability.

Technologies that Help the Internet Grow

IPv6

IPv6 is the latest version of the Internet Protocol (IP) address standard intended to eventually replace IPv4. Every device connected to the Internet needs a numerical IP address to communicate with other devices. The original IP address scheme, called IPv4, is running out of numbers.

Internet Society Pulse tracks IPv6 adoption in different countries and networks around the globe to encourage greater adoption of this enabling technology.

Open Fiber Data Standard (OFDS)

The availability of adequate data on existing telecom infrastructure, particularly fiber optic infrastructure, can support decisions for more targeted and cost-efficient infrastructure investments by the private and public sectors.

The Open Fiber Data Standard (OFDS) addresses the challenge of inadequate data on fiber optic infrastructure by proposing a solution that aims to establish a global open standard for fiber optic infrastructure data.

Technologies that Improve Security Online

Transport Layer Security (TLS)

Many popular Internet applications, such as email and web browsers, use Transport Layer Security (TLS) to secure traffic against eavesdropping and data tampering while in transit between clients and servers. People are generally familiar with TLS from the “https” and lock icons seen in web browsers.

The latest version, TLS 1.3, offers enhanced security and reduces the opportunities for attackers to discover new vulnerabilities. It has also been shown to improve performance, with secure connections establishing more quickly.

Internet Society Pulse tracks the global adoption of each version of TLS to showcase the improving security of the Internet.

DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC)

The DNS is an essential piece of Internet infrastructure that translates human-friendly names (e.g., internetsociety.org) into computer-friendly numbers (e.g., 2001:41c8:20::b31a). DNS Security (DNSSEC) is designed to authenticate DNS response data.

Internet Society Pulse presents indicators of DNSSEC adoption by registries for country-code domain names (ccTLDs) and a measurement of DNSSEC validation use by Internet hosts globally.

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HTTP/3

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is a fundamental part of the World Wide Web, used to transfer data between various Internet-connected devices. The latest version of HTTP (HTTP/3) marks a radical departure from the past by adopting a completely new transport protocol (QUIC).

The ability for the Internet to embrace HTTP/3 indicates the Internet’s capacity to evolve and support new applications. You can track its adoption via Internet Society Pulse.

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Domain Name System (DNS) Privacy

The Domain Name System (DNS) was originally developed without consideration for user privacy and may therefore leak information about DNS queries and responses that can be correlated with specific network activity.

Learn how we can mitigate the privacy implications of the DNS.

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Anti-Spoofing

Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks are a growing threat to the availability of the Internet. Anti-spoofing technologies are one mechanism that network operators can implement to mitigate against these attacks.

The MANRS initiative outlines concrete actions that networks should take to prevent traffic with spoofed source IP addresses.

Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)

The Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is the language spoken by routers on the Internet to determine how packets can be sent from one router to another to reach their final destination.

The challenge with BGP is it does not directly include security mechanisms and is based largely on trust between network operators that they will secure their systems correctly and not send incorrect data. Mistakes happen, though, and problems could arise if malicious attackers were to try to affect the routing tables used by BGP.

We support the MANRS initiative, which calls for simple yet concrete actions to reduce the most common routing threats, including BGP hijacking.

Latest Updates

Latest Updates

Explore the news and resources on Internet technologies. You can also visit Internet Society Pulse blog to find more data-driven news and insights.

A map of the world showing main submarine cables. Source: TeleGeography.
ConnectivityGlobalInternet InfrastructureInternet PolicyOpen Fibre Data Standard (OFDS)Open Internet StandardsPolicy BriefsPolicy BriefsResources

Policy Brief: Enhancing the Resilience of Submarine Internet Infrastructure

This document presents a forward-looking and optimistic approach to enhancing Internet resilience through practical and policy-driven solutions …
Mandated DNS Blocking: Critical Considerations
Content BlockingDomain Name System (DNS)GlobalHow the Internet WorksInternet PolicyRebuilding TrustResourceResources

Mandated DNS Blocking: Critical Considerations

Mandated DNS blocking is the wrong tool for public policy enforcement. The DNS exists to make the Internet usable, not …
Policy Brief: Perspectives on Internet Content Blocking
Content BlockingDomain Name System (DNS)Domain Name System (DNS)GlobalHow the Internet WorksInternet PolicyInternet TechnologiesPolicy BriefsPolicy BriefsRebuilding TrustResources

Policy Brief: Perspectives on Internet Content Blocking

The Internet Society encourages policymakers to prioritize solutions that tackle harmful content at its source, rather than relying on blunt …
red cables entering the router
BlogConnectivityGlobalHow the Internet WorksOpen Fibre Data Standard (OFDS)Open Internet Standards

The Open Fibre Data Standard

The Open Fibre Data Standard (OFDS) is an open data, open standards initiative supported by the Internet Society.   …
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BlogEncryptionInternet PolicyNorth AmericaRebuilding TrustRouting SecuritySecurityTransport Layer Security (TLS)

Today’s US Executive Order is a Serious Win for Cybersecurity

The United States government is taking a major leap forward for cybersecurity. The newly released Executive Order on Strengthening and Promoting …
DNS Security and Resilience
Domain Name System (DNS)Domain Name System (DNS)EventsGlobalHow the Internet WorksInternet GovernanceInternet TechnologiesOnline EventShaping Future of the Internet

DNS Security and Resilience

Hear from leading Internet governance experts as they tackle the most pressing security challenges of our time and engage in …
The White House in Washington DC
BlogHow the Internet WorksInternet TechnologiesMutually Agreed Norms for Routing Security (MANRS)Mutually Agreed Norms for Routing Security (MANRS)North AmericaRebuilding TrustRouting SecuritySecurity

US Government Networks Get a Security Boost: White House Roadmap Tackles Routing Vulnerabilities

The White House’s Roadmap to Enhancing Routing Security is an important step toward strengthening routing security in the United States …
Photograph of multiple padlocks locked onto a grid fence
BlogHow the Internet WorksInternet TechnologiesMutually Agreed Norms for Routing Security (MANRS)Mutually Agreed Norms for Routing Security (MANRS)North AmericaRebuilding TrustRouting SecuritySecurity

The US Makes a Big Step Toward Better Routing Security

The US Department of Commerce began implementing better routing security practices—a step in the right direction for wider MANRS adoption …
Wires connecting to each other in a web
BlogBorder Gateway Protocol (BGP)How the Internet WorksInternet TechnologiesMutually Agreed Norms for Routing Security (MANRS)Mutually Agreed Norms for Routing Security (MANRS)North AmericaOpen Internet StandardsRebuilding TrustRouting SecuritySecuring Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)Security

The US FCC Signals a Dangerous New Course on BGP Security

The US Federal Communications Commission recently released a draft Declaratory Ruling and Order in the Open Internet Proceeding. However, there …

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