Evidence of Decreasing Internet Entropy: The Lack of Redundancy in Dns Resolution by Major Websites and Services

26 Pages Posted: 21 Feb 2018 Last revised: 12 Jun 2022

See all articles by Samantha Bates

Samantha Bates

The Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society

Shane Greenstein

Harvard University - Business School (HBS)

Jordi Weinstock

Duke University School of Law

Jonathan L. Zittrain

Harvard University - Harvard Law School; Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences; Harvard University - Harvard Kennedy School (HKS); Harvard University - Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society

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Date Written: February 2018

Abstract

This paper analyzes the extent to which the Internet’s global domain name resolution (DNS) system has preserved its distributed resilience given the rise of cloud-based hosting and infrastructure. We explore trends in the concentration of the DNS space since at least 2011. In addition, we examine changes in domains’ tendency to “diversify” their pool of nameservers – how frequently domains employ DNS management services from multiple providers rather than just one provider – a comparatively costless and therefore puzzlingly rare decision that could supply redundancy and resilience in the event of an attack or service outage affecting one provider.

Suggested Citation

Bates, Samantha and Greenstein, Shane and Weinstock, Jordi and Zittrain, Jonathan, Evidence of Decreasing Internet Entropy: The Lack of Redundancy in Dns Resolution by Major Websites and Services (February 2018). NBER Working Paper No. w24317, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3127057

Samantha Bates (Contact Author)

The Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society ( email )

Harvard Law School
23 Everett, 2nd Floor
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Shane Greenstein

Harvard University - Business School (HBS) ( email )

Jordi Weinstock

Duke University School of Law ( email )

210 Science Drive
Box 90362
Durham, NC 27708
United States

Jonathan Zittrain

Harvard University - Harvard Law School ( email )

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Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

1875 Cambridge Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Harvard University - Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) ( email )

79 John F. Kennedy Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Harvard University - Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society

Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

HOME PAGE: http://cyber.harvard.edu

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