Blockchain Domain Name System

 

Domain Name System

We are very used to using the traditional Domain Name System (DNS), that translates the IP addresses to human readable domain names (or the hostname). For example, we simply type facebook.com, but under the hood, the translation of the hostname to IP takes place. This way, the internet users need not require to remember all IP addresses of the websites.

Well! Since blockchain is leveraged in numerous fields viz., web (web2 to web30, fintech, dApp, currency, and many more …I was imagining ‘what if blockchain, takes it turn on DNS?’. Going through the internet, the following is what I got to share.

Blockchain in DNS

 

Source: linkedin.com

Blockchain would ensure decentralization, immutability, and security through offering enhanced privacy, security, and control over domain names. Currently, in traditional DNS, we will need to submit all the documents to have a domain name such as name.com to be registered. This is because, the central server-DNS is controlled by a single authority/ or a single administrator. What if the server breaks down? Is internet accessible? Blockchain is supposed to solve this issue, as the data of the DNS will be distributed. But how?

A Blockchain DNS leverages a distributed network of nodes, and all nodes containing the copy/ledger of the domain details, ensuring a more secure and censorship-resistant system.

How will Blockchain DNS Work

Unlike the traditional DNS where database is stored in one or two servers (making susceptible to hacking/tampering), the domain name records in BDNS will be stored on a public blockchain-where each domain name corresponds to a unique blockchain address i.e., each transaction (such as domain name registration, update, or transfer) is recorded as a transaction on the blockchain.

For instance, when a user requests a domain name, the BDNS will look up the ledger for the corresponding address and resolve the domain.

Thus, since the ledger stored in blockchain is immutable and distributed across the nodes, the DNS is secured from tampering/hacking and cannot be changed without the network’s consensus. Whereas, in the traditional DNS, if an administrator gets the email request regarding the change of the IP (mapping) for a particular domain, the approach is straight (i.e., no consensus from the other DNS servers).

Now what are some of the advantages of having a Blockchain DNS?

1.      Secure and Immutable Records

With the record being placed in the public ledger, the change of the record is only possible if the condition (the consensus of the network) is satisfied. Till then, the records are tamper-proof and can be altered retroactively. Further, the blockchain technology ensures that the records are secured against hacking and fraudulent activities.

In case of financial industries, security and data integrity can be maintained due to the immutable nature of the blockchain-ensuring that digital assets are safe and/or transactions are protected from tampering and fraud.

Further, transparency and auditability can be maintained as the data/record on blockchain can be viewed by anyone on the network. Due to the immutable nature of blockchain, auditors can easily verify the transactions-ensuring efficient and accurate financial audits.

2.     Decentralized Resolution

In the traditional DNS, the hostname/website is resolved by the central authority such as the authoritative server. For example, if we search for www.bt.bt, only the root server .bt will be able to resolve the search. Whereas, due to the distributed data across the nodes in blockchain, each node has the copy of the entire ledger, and any node can independently verify and resolve the search. Thus, there is no central point of failure. Further, the mitigation of SPoFR (Single Point of Failure Risks) is taken care-i.e., uninterrupted services can be ensured in financial institutions.  

3.     Resilient against DNS attacks and censorship.

Through DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology), a BDNS can effectively mitigate DNS attacks such as the DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks. Since there is no central point of failure, it is very difficult for the attackers to disrupt the system. A blockchain DNS can resist censorship efforts. Also, since the records are stored on a public ledger, no single entity can remove or block the domains.

Any disadvantages of Blockchain Domain Name System

1.      Since there will be millions of transactions to be made such as the change of the domain owner/registrants-the validation of numerous transactions (substantially high volume) would potentially lead to slow processing times. Thus, the scalability challenges. Also, as the size of the blockchain grows, it will be increasingly difficult for individual nodes to store and manage the entire ledger.

In the traditional DNS, the authoritative DNS only maintains the original copy of the record, as most of the requests are made on referral basis i.e., the cache server point to the root server, and root server pointing to the hierarchy of servers.

2.     Blockchain DNS (in finance) would be a challenge to regulatory and compliance complexities. For instance, the traditional regulatory frameworks and compliance standards would be difficult to BDNS. The issues such as data privacy and consumer protection can be difficult to apply to blockchain as everyone can view the data once the record is on the public ledger.

Thus, financial institutions, adopting Blockchain DNS would need to navigate the complexities to remain compliant with relevant laws and regulations.

3.     Adoption and Integration with Existing Systems

Despite the benefits of blockchain technology, due to the lack of technical expertise, resistance to change, and perceived risks, financial institutions or the internet provider would feel hesitant to adopt BDNS. Further, leveraging new technology for BDNS can be complex and costly, requiring significant time and resources.

Conclusion

While BDNS is an approach that combines the power of blockchain with traditional DNS systems, offering decentralized and secure framework for managing domains (in finance and beyond), OTOH, one may need to consider the challenges such as scalability, regulatory complexities, and others.

OTOH, people already started creating stories such as this (on April fool’s day) ;-) https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/blockchain-dns-replace-legacy-rolf-larsen/