OpenDNSSEC service goes live

A consortium of security and infrastructure management organisations has launched a new project to help secure Domain Name System (DNS) queries.

OpenDNSSEC will provide a way for service providers and hosting vendors to encrypt DNS traffic.

DNS servers allow URL addresses to be linked with the machine address of a site's host server, and are a fundamental aspect of everyday internet use.

The system has gone largely unnoticed in the past, but security researchers have been paying increased attention to the DNS service and its perceived weaknesses.

Many worry that hackers could compromise DNS servers, and redirect traffic without user knowledge.

OpenDNSSEC will allow hosts and service providers to securely transmit DNS requests and prevent attackers from intercepting and redirecting information, according to Lesley Cowley, chief executive of consortium member Nominet.

"OpenDNSSEC ensures that the domain name system is not tampered with, and that internet users are directed to a preferred web site without intervention," he said.

"The collaboration in evidence shows that the internet community is committed to forging a safer, more trusted internet for all."