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RADAR to be down at least two weeks after hack

Kevin Murphy, May 30, 2014, 14:01:24 (UTC), Domain Registrars

ICANN expects its RADAR registrar database to be offline for “at least two weeks” following the discovery of a security vulnerability that exposed users’ login names and encrypted passwords.
ICANN seems to have been quick to act and to disclose the hack.
The attack happened last weekend and ICANN was informed about it by an “internet user” on Tuesday May 27, according to an ICANN spokesperson. RADAR was taken offline and the problem disclosed late May 28.
The spokesperson added that “we do not believe the user is affiliated with a current or previously accredited registrar.”
ICANN isn’t disclosing the nature of the vulnerability, but said RADAR will be offline for some time for a security audit. The spokesperson told DI in an email:

It will be at least two weeks. It is more important to complete a thorough security assessment of the site than to rush this process. First of all, we’re keeping the system offline until we complete a thorough audit of the system. We are also currently engaged in a security review of all systems and procedures at ICANN to assess and implement ongoing improvements as appropriate.

RADAR is a database used by registrars to coordinate stuff like emergency contacts and IP address whitelisting for bulk Whois access.
The downtime is not expected to impact registrants, according to ICANN. The spokesperson said: “Nothing that occurred has raised any concerns that registrants could or would be adversely affected.”


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Comments (7)

  1. Acro says:

    Why isn’t there more outrage over this severe security lapse? Mr. Chehade is full of tirades about the multi-stakeholder model and other such pompous buzzwords but now he’s keeping mum.

  2. **Alert
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    • Kevin Murphy says:

      I’m willing to tolerate your inane comments in general Domen, but this one looks quite a bit like spam. Keep it on topic please.

      • @Murphy,
        My comments are not ‘inane’. That adjective implies that you find statements to be, at least, one of the following: silly, foolish, stupid, fatuous, idiotic, ridiculous, ludicrous, absurd, senseless, asinine, frivolous, vapid; and so on…
        I’ll let your readers be the judge of your judgment.
        The comment above is particularly serious. Namebee.com is in fact a legitimate alternate to domaining.com, and it doesn’t belong to me, so why is it spam? Check it out. Most of your readers would consider it news-worthy, and could benefit by knowing about it. This is in line with what your blog stands for – at least the way I perceive it.
        Take care.

        • Kevin Murphy says:

          Domen,
          Your comments are almost always “inane”, by the very definitions you offer.
          I would be quite within my rights to delete or moderate your comments, per DI’s comments policy:
          “If you display a persistent pattern of posting irrelevant, nonsensical gibberish, or if your comments regularly appear to be designed merely to promote your own domain names, your names and internet addresses may be added to a moderation list.”
          I’ve not been deleting your comments, because I believe in freedom of speech.
          Freedom of speech, even when the speaker is mad.
          Kev

          • It appears that your primary weapon in the battle for ideas, is your moderation panel.
            If you point to one such “inane” comment by me, I will voluntarily quit your blog.
            Thanks

          • BTW I am aware that nic.xyz, and perhaps other new gTLD Registries are advertisers on your blog, and I have been quite thorough in examining their claims; yet I do NOT accuse you of bias, or shoddy reportage, because I have found no trace of that at all here. I’ve looked, and I think this blog is professional in looking at all the issues. Yes, the preponderance is with the new gTLDs, but that alone does not partiality make.
            (But that only goes for the posts; not your obnoxious comments, and disrespectful responses).

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