The Swedish Internet Foundation releases zone files
As of today, The Swedish Internet Foundation will be providing information about .se and .nu domain names that are visible to the internet public. This means that the registered and delegated domains in the Domain Name System (DNS) will now be visible as the zone files for the The Swedish Internet Foundation’s top-level domains are being released to the public and made available for download for the first time.
The underlying reason for making the zone files for .se and .nu available is our endeavor at The Swedish Internet Foundation to promote transparency and openness. The Swedish Internet Foundation has made the assessment that the zone files do not contain any confidential information and, therefore, there is no reason not to make this information available.
“Our hopes are that services will be built that enable laymen to use the information and that disclosure will positively impact research into the Swedish internet infrastructure,” says Patrik Wallström, IT security expert at The Swedish Internet Foundation.
What is a zone file?
A zone file is a text file that contains all of the delegated domain names for a top-level domain and the related information. Domain names require the information in the zone file to be able to function at a technical level. In addition to the domain names that The Swedish Internet Foundation administers, a zone file also contains its associated name servers and all the DNSSEC information.
What does this mean for domain name registrants?
In practical terms, this has no practical implications for existing owners of .se or .nu domains. The information in the zone file has never been considered confidential, even if zone files have never previously been published in full.
However, this could have an impact on parties that, for various reasons, do not wish to publish a domain name that is not in use. New brands and temporary campaigns are typical examples of names that many wish to keep under wraps before their launch. If the owner of a .se or .nu domain wishes to keep the domain name secret, no delegation should be written to the zone file. The registrar (reseller of .se domains) that the domain name is registered with can assist with this.
