[Discuss] Why the dislike of X.509?

[Richard Pieri]

On 8/26/2014 1:07 PM, Derek Atkins wrote:
> So where does DNS come in?  I think most DNS experts would define it as

The database -- all of the RRs and such -- is distributed. The system
itself is a collection of centralized hierarchies with each central
point being the root for each top-level domain. Any so-called expert who
describes it otherwise is either not as expert as they think or being
deliberately obtuse.

> a "distributed" system.  However there *is* a single entity that has
> authority -- the root servers.  Compromise of that would compromise the
> whole DNS system.

Precisely.

> However there are watchdogs all over the world whose
> role is preventing that.

Yes, there are. This is one of the things that distinguishes DNS from
SSL: there are no watchdogs over the root SSL authorities. By design.

-- 
Rich P.