https://www.norid.no Runs the registry for Norwegian domain names Mon, 15 Nov 2021 10:49:12 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.8.1 https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/webinar-about-dnssec-in-the-nordics/ Mon, 15 Nov 2021 07:03:39 +0000 https://www.norid.no/?p=17429 Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the Nordic country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) operators invites to a digital meeting on November 17 at 12.00–14.00 (UTC). The meeting is aimed at anyone who wants to know more about the implementation of DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC) and its current state in the region. As the Internet takes an ever more critical role in society’s infrastructure, it is becoming increasingly more important to ensure that information is not falsified or ends up in the wrong hands. DNSSEC is an important contribution to more secure communication online. When you look up a domain name, a search for an IP address is initiated in order to contact the server hosting the service you are looking for. The original domain name system does not ensure that the return for a lookup actually comes from the right source. This means it is possible for attackers to falsify returns and direct a user to another IP address than the one associated with the domain name. For example, a user may be directed to a website that looks like the online retailer they intended to visit, but instead, the website is located on a server controlled by scammers. DNSSEC offers a solution to this problem. When a domain name is secured by DNSSEC, all returns to domain queries will be signed cryptographically. This makes it possible to verify both that the response comes from the right source, and that it has not been changed along the way. The webinar presents how the implementation of the DNSSEC security mechanism has been handled by the Nordic top-level domains .no., .se, .dk, .fi and .is, and how the status is when it comes to the spread of this technology in the Nordic region. ICANN will also contribute with an overview of the global picture. To register for the webinar: https://features.icann.org/event/icann-organization/dnssec-nordics More about DNSSEC in Norway, https://www.norid.no/en/om-domenenavn/veiledere/sikrere-norske-domenenavn-med-dnssec/ About ICANN, https://www.icann.org/ ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/okt-sikkerhet-med-ny-forhandleravtale/ Fri, 15 Oct 2021 07:04:32 +0000 https://www.norid.no/?p=17390 The standard agreement between Norid and the registrars (domain name providers) was revised in June 2021. The background is the growing need to ensure security and quality for the Norwegian top-level domain. Eight out of ten registrars have chosen to continue the business with Norid under the increased requirements. In sum, these registrars provide a broad and varied offer to the customers, and the competition in the dealer market within different customer segments still works. Society is becoming more and more dependent on the Internet. This increases the requirements for security for all actors in the value chains, including the registrars. These are companies that have entered into an agreement with Norid to assist domain subscribers in ordering domain names and follow up subscriptions further on behalf of the subscribers. Norid has a responsibility to design the registration scheme in an appropriate manner and within the framework set by Norwegian authorities. The new registrar agreement mainly continues established practice and division of responsibilities, but places higher demands on the registrars' compentence and information security, and on the reseller having a minimum of activity related to the domain business. In addition, a requirement has been introduced that the retailer must annually inform his customers of what information is registered in Norid's database about the subscriptions they handle, so that the subscriber can check that the contact information and technical information about their own domain names is correct and up to date. The use of domain names under .no is a central part of the digital communication in the society, and the focus on quality and security at all levels becomes increasingly important. The introduction of a revised registrar agreement with increased security requirements helps to promote the quality of the registrar industry as a whole. The fact that the new agreement seems to have been well received by the registrars also bear witness to a forward-looking and conscious industry. Elise Knutssøn Lindeberg, Security Director, Norwegian Communications Authority Competition among registrars The registrars compete to offer the best possible help to the subscribers when it comes to ordering and maintaining the domain subscriptions. Most resellers offer various additional services related to the use of the domain name, including web hosting, email and tools for creating web pages. These are services that have value for the subscriber, but it is not a requirement from us that they must offer such services. Mapping the domain market shows clear customer segments with specific needs, which influence which registrar they choose. The market shares of the registrars vary depending on which customer segments make up the market. We distinguish between the total market, the market for the largest companies in Norway, and the high-traffic market. Total market .xlsx .csv Distribution of market shares when the process of the new registrar agreement began in June 2021. Please note that the colors of the sector diagrams do not represent a specific actor, but only illustrate the market shares in the different markets. The total market consists of around 827,000 Norwegian domain names (as of October 2021) and is dominated by a few registrars with large market shares. The ten largest actors in total have 80 per cent of the total market. Many of these actors offer a simple standard package with domain name, email, and website hosting. Market for the largest companies in Norway .xlsx .csv Distribution of market shares when the process of the new registrar agreement began in June 2021. The 500 largest companies in Norway have a total of around 8,000 domain names. These are customers who need registrars who can take overall responsibility for managing the domain names as part of the customer's brand. The market shares are more evenly distributed in this market than in the total market, and several medium-sized registrars are among the larger actors here. High traffic market .xlsx .csv Distribution of market shares when the process of the new registrar agreement began in June 2021. Another customer segment is subscribers who offer services that have to handle high network traffic. The two hundred most trafficked websites in Norway largely use registrars with so-called "high-end" solutions that handle high performance requirements. Also in this market, there are mostly medium-sized registrars among the larger actors. No major changes in the market There were 335 registrars when the process of a new registrar agreement began in June 2021. They had the choice between adapting the business to new requirements or winding up the business with Norid. After the deadline for entering into the new agreement expired at the end of August, 268 registrars - eight out of ten - had chosen to continue the business with Norid. The number of registrars has been stable at around 340 over the last ten years. Not surprisingly, it is mainly registrars with low activity who have chosen to close down the registrar business. The average number of domain names in the portfolio of registrars who did not join is 49. The highest number of domain names is 648. All the 50 largest registrars continue. Registrar size June 2021 Sept 2021 Very large registrar (<10001 domain names) 9 9 Large registrar (1001-10000 domain names) 41 41 Medium registrar (101-1000 domain names) 158 148 Small registrar (1-100 domain names) 104 68 Registrars with 0 domian names 23 2 Total 335 268 Number of registrars distributed based on the size of their domain portfolio. The reduction in the number of registrars has not led to major changes in the distribution of market shares in the total market. The ten largest actors in the total market had a total market share of 80 per cent in June. In September, this had increased to 81 per cent, which is natural as the number of «other registrars» has been reduced from 325 to 258. The second largest actor in the market has increased its market share due to this, but the competitive situation is so to speak unchanged. Total market September 2021 .xlsx .csv When it comes to the markets for the largest companies in Norway or the most trafficked websites, the market distribution is identical in June and September. – Today we have fewer registrars than before this shift, but can state that the competition between registrars within different customer segments still works, and that the registrars in total provide a broad and varied offer to customers, says Hilde Thunem, Managing Director in Norid. More about the scheme with registrars, https://www.norid.no/en/nytt-domenenavn/forhandlerliste/om-domeneforhandlere/ Current registrar agreement, https://teknisk.norid.no/en/bli-forhandler/forhandleravtalen/#Avtaleteksten More about the transition to a new registrar agreement, https://teknisk.norid.no/en/bli-forhandler/forhandleravtalen/overgang-til-ny-forhandleravtale/ ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/domain-name-policy-update-harmonization-with-the-new-registrar-agreement/ Thu, 01 Jul 2021 08:01:14 +0000 https://www.norid.no/?p=17109 Norid has revised the agreement with the registrars. This makes it necessary to make a few adjustments to the domain name policy for Norwegian domain names. Most importantly, terms and conditions that concerns the relationship between Norid and the registrars have now been added to the registrar agreement, and so will be removed from the domain name policy. In order to make the separation between the domain subscription terms and the registrar terms and conditions clearer, we will update the subscription terms in the domain name policy for Norwegian domain names after the transition period for the new registrar agreement is over. Read more here: Oppdatering av regelverket for .no 24. august 2021 ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/dns-for-dummies/ Tue, 25 May 2021 11:11:03 +0000 https://www.norid.no/?p=17035 Did you ever wonder about what actually happen when you ask for a domain name and get to the website that you are looking for? And not least how this system can work seamlessly for all countries and all top-level domains in the world? You may become a little wiser if you take a look into this information from the European organization for national top-level domain registries, like Norid for Norwegian domain names. ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/domain-scammers-try-again/ Mon, 12 Apr 2021 07:51:02 +0000 https://www.norid.no/?p=16879 Companies with Norwegian domain names – mycompanyname.no – are experiencing aggressive domain sellers claiming that they hold very attractive domain names under other top-level domains which they push the company to buy. Our advice: Contact your registrar and get their view on whether your company will benefit from registering those domain names or not. We see this type of scam from time to time, and the method is always the same: The target company holds the domain name mycompanyname.no. The seller claims that they hold the same or very similar domain name under other top-level domains, e.g. mycompanyname.co or mycompanyname.shop. They insist that the target company needs these domain names to avoid search engines mismatch and that others take advantage of their brand, and that they must decide on this promptly because the seller has other customers who are interested in the same domain names. The vast majority of Norwegian companies choose the Norwegian top-level domain for their main domain name. Some Norwegian companies may benefit from having domain names under other top-level domains than the Norwegian, but this is an issue they must consider inhouse and take into account which markets they will hit with different top-level domains. The registrar can be a useful partner for this kind of discussion. In addition to market considerations, an important aspect is to take a look at the «neighborhood» that the company will be a part of online, which means to have a look at which other domain names are registered under the top-level domain in question, and what they are used for. It is much more attractive for new customers if a big share of the domain names is used for customers’ homepage, than if many of the domain names only point to other top-level domains, or worst case are registered for spamming, scamming or for spreading viruses and malware. Useful reading Online presence – where and how? Guide on good and less good neighborhoods on the Internet. List of registrars for Norwegian domain names ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/pandemien-far-fart-pa-grundervirksomheten/ Fri, 26 Mar 2021 10:02:12 +0000 https://www.norid.no/?p=16848 2020 ended with the highest number of registered Norwegian domain names since 1999, and net growth increased by as much as 36 per cent compared with 2019. Several domain name holders confirm that the pandemic is a direct cause or has speeded up the development of new business ideas for which they need domain names. During 2020, a total of 132,080 new Norwegian domain names were registered. This is the highest number of new registrations we have had since 1999. The growth in new registrations has also resulted in an increase in the total number of domain names. Net growth increased by as much as 36 per cent from 2019 to 2020, in comparison, the increase was only 1.4 per cent from 2018 to 2019. Source: Norid Pandemic related Looking more closely at what has happened, it is clear that the net growth of domain names has increased dramatically after the pandemic hit Norway in March 2020. From May 2020, the net growth is noticeably higher than the 2019 and 2018 levels, and apart from lower net growth in September, this increase has continued till now. Source: Norid The total number of domain names increased by as many as 26,655 domain names in the period March 2020–March 2021. In comparison, the number increased by 17,213 in the corresponding period the year before, and 14,343 two years before. As of 25 March 2021, we list a total of 816,921 Norwegian domain names. It is reasonable to believe that the severe increase is related to the lockdown of society and the resulting need for change that the pandemic caused for both companies and employees. Similar trend elsewhere in Europe We also see a similar trend in the rest of Europe. According to the latest quarterly report from CENTR (Council of European National Top-Level Domain Registries) from 2020, which covers the status and trends of global top-level domains and European country code top-level domains, the median growth for European country code top-level domains reached the highest level registered since 2014. The strong growth was driven by increased demand for new domain names and a reduction in the number of deleted domain names. According to CENTR, the underlying reason for the surges in demand is related to the lockdowns across Europe as a result of the pandemic. For many small and large businesses around Europe, being present online was no longer considered a bonus, but rather a need for survival. In Norway as well the lockdown has undoubtedly led to more companies seeing the value of online presence. For Norid, it is interesting to gain more knowledge about the background for the evident increase in new domain name registrations. Thus we have asked some domain name holders who have recently registered domain names about the background for the registration. Aiming towards the Norwegian market Åsmund Bakke in Jondal has registered the domain name folgefonni.no. – The reason for registering folgefonni.no is that we are creating a new visual profile/website now more aimed at the Norwegian market as a consequence of the pandemic. In 2019, 85 per cent of our customers were foreign, in 2020 90 per cent were Norwegians. Thus we have to adjust. In that context, our domain name folgefonni-breforarlag.no is a bit long, and we wish to have a shorter domain name in addition (which points to the same website), he says. As a curiosity, he adds that they have chosen i-ending, which is the old spelling, to show that they continue old traditions with glacier guiding on Folgefonna. Realizing the farmer dream Øyvind Sætre says that he and his wife have registered several domain names and companies after the pandemic hit us. He underlines that the pandemic is not the only cause, but that it has clearly been a catalyst. He was employed by an IT company that were struggling as a result of the pandemic. – At the same time, my wife received a message from her family that she could take over the family farm in Vikjabygda in Sogn. In addition, we noticed a great focus on being self-supported and on direct sales of food from farmers. We therefore both chose to apply for agricultural-related studies at Innandet University College. (…) As mentioned, we have set up more companies in order to have prospects to choose from, but now we are in the process of taking over the farm. Maybe this would have happened anyway, but I think the pandemic did its part to make this happen. Their best choice for a domain name for their effort is bondedraumen.no (English translation: farmersdream.no). Online store as a supplement to skin care salon The domain name dinegenpleie.no was registered by Christina Aas last autumn. She experienced a loss of customers in the skin care salon as a result of the pandemic and plans to start an online store for skin care products to increase the income base. Important to be present online – With the lockdown of society and large parts of Norwegian working life at home, it is clear that it is becoming more important to be present online, says Hilde Thunem, Managing Director in Norid. – The pandemic has acted as a catalyst that has forced restructuring and new business ideas, she adds. In addition, of course, domain names are registered regardless of the pandemic and lockdown. Linda Nygård will use the domain name asias.no as a mapping tool for people with Asperger's which is under development. – This was planned before the pandemic, but it is clear that there has been even greater focus on this work during this period, she says. Kim-Andre Hansson Husås in Meråker Multiservice has registered sisselsspiseri.no on behalf of a customer for whom they are building a website. His customer had the domain name sissels-spiseri.no before and wanted to be more visible online and exclude typos in the domain name. He says that this customer has experienced an increase in demand lately, especially from customers wanting to find menus and prices online, which he believes is due to the fact that people simply stay more at home. 2020 – a year for digital seven-mile steps Thinking about starting a business? Smart start (video) Create your identity online (video, norwegian dub only) ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/klart-for-pamelding-til-internettforum-2021/ Tue, 16 Feb 2021 13:43:00 +0000 https://www.norid.no/?p=16603 Internett forum will be streamed on Wednesday 21 April from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm. Here is a presentation of the speakers. A detailed agenda will be published in March. Presentations will be in Norwegian only. Follow us on Facebook for updates. Register for Internet forum 2021. ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/2020-et-ar-for-digitale-sjumilssteg/ Wed, 13 Jan 2021 13:58:27 +0000 /?p=16456 2020 has been a year characterized by lockdown and uncertainty, but also by adaptation and innovation. We can truly say that society's digital foundation has been through a thorough stress test. It is clear to everyone how valuable it is to have an online presence, and the Internet stands out as a key arena for interaction and communication. Norway has long been at the forefront when it comes to offering digital services. When large parts of Norwegian working life were to be run from home, services and infrastructure were tested as never before. Fortunately, the National Communications Authority was able to conclude that the digital foundation passed the test – this time 1. We must state that Norway has a digital foundation that has provided solid coverage and quality, also during the "express digitalization" we have experienced in 2020. Overnight, almost all social functions had to use digital platforms and video-based services as the only form of communication, all of it over the Internet. With this sharp increase in traffic and the changing user patterns we experienced both nationally and internationally, there is every reason to point out and recognize the resilience of the digital infrastructure, also on DNS and the Internet. Owners of infrastructure and other market players have been both prepared and have showed adaptability. Thus, there was no sign of crisis in the electronic communication sector in 2020. However, awareness and focus on the criticality of robust and secure electronic communication has increased throughout society, and we will use this to continue the work to preserve and build trust in the digital services that we all are dependent on. Elise Knutssøn Lindeberg, Security Director, Norwegian Communications Authority For Norid, which operates important national Internet infrastructure, the focus in the first months was to maintain stable operations. And we were not alone. Internet services are the result of a complex interaction between many actors and systems in a digital value chain, and the interaction is completely dependent on all parts of the infrastructure working. Growth in Norwegian domain names The increased online activity this year has not only led to increased traffic. In the period March–August 2020, Norid saw a marked increase in the number of Norwegian domain names compared with 2019 and 2018. 63,000 new domain names were registered from March to August in 2020, which is the highest we have had in the corresponding period since 2012. The growth in new domain names has also resulted in an increase in the total number of domain names. As of 31 December, we listed a total of 805,539 Norwegian domain names, which means a net increase of approximately 23,000 domain names. In comparison, annual growth was around 17,000 in both 2018 and 2019 2. It is reasonable to believe that the sharp increase is related to the first closure of society and the need for restructuring that the pandemic triggered for both companies and employees. More important than ever to be present online The close-down of society has undoubtedly led to more companies seeing the value of being present online. For example, the corona measures through 2020 have clearly affected Norwegians' patterns of action. Figures from Statistics Norway show a clear increase in e-commerce 3. Many companies have been able to maintain and further develop their operations thanks to the Internet, and the increased need for a digital presence may be the background for some of the growth we are seeing in new domain names. There are many ways to be present online, and the choice of channel and profile on the content affects the identity you create for you and your business. More on what you should think about when it comes to being present online At the same time, the closure has had major negative impact for Norwegian business and industry. The announced wave of bankruptcies has so far been long overdue. Figures from the National Enterprise Register show that there have been significantly fewer bankruptcies in Norway in 2020 than in 2019 4. However, the bankruptcies had affected about 18,300 employees as of 8 December 2020, 2,300 more than at the same time in 2019. There were thus larger companies that went bankrupt in 2020 compared with 2019 5. In addition, the support schemes that were implemented towards the end of the year were less general and more restrictive than the first schemes introduced. According to Finansavisen 6, we may have to wait until the spring of 2021 before we see the real effect of the corona crisis on Norwegian business. The uncertainty about the future of companies and jobs means that laid-off employees have had to look for other opportunities, and some may have chosen to try to realize a start-up dream. Figures from Statistics Norway show that 17,746 new enterprises were registered in the third quarter of 2020. This is as much as 19 per cent more than in the second quarter, and 16 per cent more than in the third quarter of 2019 7. The road from idea to fully registered company may take some time, so for several of the new companies, the domain name may have been registered first and the entry in the Enterprise Register afterwards. This is confirmed by Ståle Schumacher at Domeneshop AS, which is one of the domain name providers we have an agreement with. Domeneshop generally experienced increased activity with domain registration in the period March–August 2020, and says they noticed a tendency for many private individuals to order domain names, often with a comment that they should transfer the domain name to a new company when they received the organization number from the Enterprise Register. – It is obvious that there are many business ideas that are at an early stage, and then you want to secure the domain name first and then arrange the rest of the formalities afterwards. The first thing you need when starting a new business in 2020 is, of course, a domain name and an email address, said Schumacher. If you have a business idea, it may be a good idea to start by securing the domain name. More about registration order to secure your own rights. Everyday life online presents new challenges A new workday with the use of a home office makes it possible for many to maintain the business even if the employees cannot meet physically at the workplace. However, the use of a home office has some security challenges. Among other things, many ordinary home networks have weaker security than the company's own network. The National Security Authority was out early with recommendations that companies consider whether the new situation means that there is a need for changes in their own security routines 8. E-commerce is a widely used opportunity for scammers. When more people than usual choose to shop online, the risk of being scammed by fake online stores is more likely than ever. You should always be sceptical before shopping with unknown online stores, and you should be especially critical if you do not find any contact information for the company. If you are unsure, our advice is to check who has registered the domain name. For Norwegian domain names, you can do this in our domain look-up service. Under the Norwegian top-level domain, everyone who wants to register a domain name must identify who they are by either an organization number in the Register of Legal Entities or a national identity number in the National Register. The requirement, which has solid support among Norwegian companies and the population in general 9, means that there is a real, responsible company or person behind all Norwegian domain names. Check who has the domain name with our look-up service We get together online Recommendations to keep social distance have put an end to many physical events. In several arenas, however, we see that people find online alternatives. Companies and organizations run a joint digital lunch, digital school became a regular routine for students all over the country within one week, and more and more artists and bands offer digital concerts. Norid has also had to find alternative ways of conducting seminars and events. An online conference entitled "Crisis opens up new opportunities" was originally planned as a physical event in November 2020, but has now been postponed until April 2021, and the conference will be held digitally regardless of how the pandemic develops in Norway in the coming months. A clear advantage of conducting an event digitally is that the threshold for participating will be lower, so we hope for the support of the times on Internet Forum 2021! See programme for Internet Forum 21 April 2021 Sources 1. The Norwegian Communications Authority (8 October 2020) «EKOMROS 2020: Den Digitale Grunnmuren Satt på Prøve» 2. Norid. (Figures from 31 December 2020) 3. Statistics Norway (23 November 2020) «Mer netthandel med koronatiltak» 4. Register of Business Enterprises (2 March2020) «Statistikk fra Konkursregisteret» 5. Statistics Norway (8 December 2020) «Få konkurser i koronatid» 6. Finansavisen (9 November 2020) «Tror corona-konkursbølge snart er på vei» 7. Statistics Norway (6 November 2020) «Langt fleire nye foretak under roleg korona periode» 8. Norwegian National Security Authority (16 March 2020) «Mer hjemmekontor – store muligheter, men også risikoer» and (14 October 2020) «Hjemmekontor – hva bør virksomheten tenke på?» 9. Norid. (Figures from September 2019) Survey on the use of domain names in Norway performed by Ipsos on behalf of Norid ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/norid-overfores-til-ny-eier/ Wed, 06 Jan 2021 11:47:07 +0000 /?p=16409 In 2021, Norid will become a directly owned company under the Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation (KMD). The Ministry has special expertise in electronic communications and domain name management, which will be a strength in the strategic ownership follow-up of the company. Norid has been part of the Uninett Group for more than 25 years, first as a project and later as a subsidiary. Uninett develops and operates the digital foundation for education and research in Norway, and it was natural that the responsibility for running the registry for Norwegian domain names was added to this competence environment in the early days of the Internet. In the more than 30 years that have passed since .no was established as the Norwegian top-level domain, electronic communications and the Internet have developed into something that permeates all parts of society, and the domain name system is a fundamental function of the Internet infrastructure. In 2020, it was decided that the ownership of Norid would be transferred from Uninett AS, which falls under the Ministry of Education, to the Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation, which is responsible for the field of ICT Policy in Norway. In this way, the Government strengthens the strategic ownership follow-up of the company. – We look forward to completing the change of ownership and look forward to working with the new owner, says Hilde Thunem, General Manager of Norid. – We would like to thank Uninett for a long-standing partnership. The co-location in Teknobyen in Trondheim will continue, and we will also continue a professional collaboration with Uninett for the benefit of both parties. Illustration: Norid The transfer process is underway. From 31 December 2020, the ownership of Norid is transferred to the Government through the Directorate for ICT and Joint Services in Higher Education and Research (Unit), from where the ownership will then transfer to KMD. The change of ownership does not lead to changes in the company structure, or agreements Norid has with partners or suppliers. – We at Uninett AS are very proud to have contributed to creating an important part of today's internet through our subsidiary Norid's development and operation of the Norwegian top-level domain. Times are changing, and based on Norid's social responsibility, it is natural that the Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation will now become the new owner of the company. We look forward to further co-operation with both Norid and the company's new owner, says CEO of Uninett AS, Tom Røtting. About Norid Statutes (in Norwegian only) ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/internettforum-2020-er-utsatt/ Wed, 04 Nov 2020 09:12:30 +0000 /?p=16233 Due to the current covid-19 situation and new advice on virus protection from the Government, we have decided to postpone this year’s Internet forum until 21 April 2021. Regardless of how the virus situation will develop in the months to come, the conference will be carried out digitally. The decision on postponing the conference has been taken to avoid the risk of infection for Norid’s staff as well as for our collaborators connected to traveling and digital production. The postponed conference in April will be carried out according to the agenda we have already. The conference will be in Norwegian only. Follow us for further updates in the months to come. ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/ekom-rapport-den-digitale-grunnmuren-besto-testen/ Fri, 16 Oct 2020 12:39:44 +0000 /?p=16011 Despite of an intense increase in traffic and an immediate need to readjust internal operations, Nkom’s study shows that the ekom actors have managed to maintain stable operations and capacity through the corona lock-down. However, Nkom also calls attention to the fact that trust in networks and services are challenged in different ways. The EkomROS report aim to make actors in the field more conscious on the risk picture for the digital foundation wall in Norway. Target groups for the report are both actors in the ekom sector as well as in other sectors where electronic communication makes an impact for their own security and stand-by efforts. Nkom about the report (in Norwegian only) The EkomROS 2020 report (PDF) (in Norwegian only) ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/internettforum-program/ Fri, 16 Oct 2020 08:09:32 +0000 /?p=16033 This year’s Internet forum with the title Crisis opens new opportunities was planned as a big on-site event in November 2020, hoping that we at that time could take a glance in the back mirror and summon up learnings. Now we know that the covid-19 issue is just as relevant in 2021. The conference will be carried out within the original programme as a virtual event streamed live on YouTube on Wednesday 21 April 2021. Maria Strømme from Svolvær is a physicist and professor in nano technology at Uppsala University. She has an extensive background as a scientist and developer, and is behind several inventions and patents. Jørgen Tharaldsen is an experienced game entrepreneur and is now running the company Megapop. He thinks it is time to redefine the term gamification and see the endless opportunities that it carries. Silvija Seres is a mathematician and a technology investor with a PhD from Oxford University. Her background is from technology- and business development. She has recently made an interesting podcast with Jørgen Tharaldsen, https://lorn.tech/lorn-pod/130-en-ny-definisjon-av-gamification/. NAV experienced a record number of inquiries when the pandemic reached Norway, and they had to adjust and develop IT systems for new government schemes on the fly. CIO Jonas Slørahl Skjærpe shares how NAV handled the challenges and also asks if it is possible to be prepared for a new pandemic and new upheavals. Mímir Kristjánsson is a journalist, author and politician. He serves on Stavanger City Council representing Rødt, and he is a clear voice in the public debate. At this year's Internet forum he will talk about the bane of working from home. Who benefits and who misses out when office workers bring their jobs home? Author and philosopher Joakim Hammerlin from Nansenskolen (the Nansen Humanistic Academy) joins us again. This time he questions if we have been affected by what he calls digital dysphoria. When the corona crisis hit, we took cover in digital shelters: School and work meetings on Teams. Lectures and Friday drinks on Zoom. But while some found peace and quiet in a new and wonderful digital world, others were struck by advanced analog nostalgia. What did we gain and what might be lost from the digital-social revolution? Joakim Hammerlin asks the most basic of questions, with no digital tools whatsoever. Gøril Forbord will preside over the conference. The programme will last as from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm. Details to be published at the end om March. Presentations will be in Norwegian only. Registration for Internet forum 2021 ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/norwegians-register-domain-names-like-never-before/ Mon, 07 Sep 2020 10:50:52 +0000 /?p=15759 From March to August this year, we have had a marked increase in the number of new domain names compared with 2019 and 2018. There are many indications that the growth can be attributed to the corona situation, which is also confirmed by our partners. 63,000 new domain names were registered from March to August this year, which is the highest we have had in the corresponding period since 2012. Although a significant number of domain names have been discontinued during the period, we still see a marked net increase. At the end of August, we listed a total of 795,000 Norwegian domain names, while the number at the same time last year was just over 774,000. The increase is almost 21,000 domain names, while the annual increase was around 17,000 both in 2018 and 2019. Doubling from private individuals One in four new registrations is from private individuals, while companies and other organizations are responsible for the rest. Ståle Schumacher at Domeneshop AS, which is one of the domain name providers Norid has an agreement with, confirms general increased activity with domain registration. They have also noticed a tendency that there are especially many private individuals who order domain names, often with a comment that they shall transfer the domain name to a new company when they receive the organization number from Brønnøysund Register Centre. – It is clear that there are many business ideas that are at an early stage, and then you want to secure the domain name first and then arrange the rest of the formalities afterwards. The first thing you need when starting a new business in 2020 is, of course, a domain name and an email address, says Schumacher. The crisis package may have had an impact The increase in the number of new registrations may have been affected by the Government's crisis package for entrepreneurs and growth companies. From mid-April, a corona-affected Norwegian business community could apply for support from Innovation Norway's extra pot, which was then close to NOK 5 billion. According to nrk.no (31 August), this year's limit for loans and grants from Innovation Norway has been increased to a total of 14 billion, of which 2.17 billion has been granted so far this year, which is more than three times as much as at the same time last year. The Brønnøysund Register Centre confirms increased demand for the guidance service at their department in Narvik aimed at start-ups and running businesses after the new state schemes were established after the close-down last March. They also report that they have had a particularly increased demand this summer compared to normal summer activity. So far, they have not registered significant changes in the number of newly registered companies or enterprises this year compared to 2018 and 2019. More domain statistics ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/internettforum-17-november-programmet-tar-form/ Tue, 30 Jun 2020 11:19:51 +0000 /?p=15689 This year’s Internet forum is taking place on Tuesday 17 November, and the title is Crisis opens new opportunities. The conference will be a virtual event this year. However, we aim to gather as many of the speakers as possible at Thon Hotel Vika Atrium in Oslo and stream the presentations from there. We have already booked several very exciting speakers. Maria Strømme from Svolvær is a physicist and professor in nano technology at Uppsala University. She has an extensive background as a scientist and developer, and is behind several inventions and patents. Jørgen Tharaldsen is an experienced game entrepreneur and is now running the company Megapop. He thinks it is time to redefine the term gamification and see the endless opportunities that it carries. Silvija Seres is a mathematician and a technology investor with a PhD from Oxford University. Her background is from technology- and business development. She has recently made an interesting podcast with Jørgen Tharaldsen, https://lorn.tech/lorn-pod/130-en-ny-definisjon-av-gamification/. Ingrid Melve is an executive manager in Unit and have led national and international innovation projects within digitalization of higher education and new education platforms for many years. Writer and philosopher Joakim Hammerlin from Nansenskolen makes a reappearance on the agenda. He asks the fundamental questions and he does it without any digital aids. Magnus Ødegaard, lawyer and partner in Bing Hodneland, will lead us through the day. ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/domenesvindlere-prover-seg-igjen/ Mon, 08 Jun 2020 13:13:11 +0000 /?p=15656 The method is the same as before: They offer domain names that look relevant for the company, and say that these names are in great demand so you must hurry up or risk trouble. Our advice: Check who is contacting you, carefully consider your real needs for domain names, then contact your registrar. This method is well known both in Norway and abroad. The domain name holder is contacted by a seller who offers the company’s domain name under other top-level domains than the Norwegian one. Say you have the domain name mycompanyname.no, then you are offered mycompanyname.com or mycompanyname.shop. The seller claims that he has other customers on hand who are interested in these particular domain names, and then warns about potential trouble if you don’t secure these domain names for your own company immediately. The result is a huge bill for services that you do not need. We see this type of scamming irregularly, and it is no surprise that this happens just now when Norway as well as the rest of the world are still dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. In a situation like this many of us show less caution, and scammers know how to exploit such vulnerability. Could it be a good idea to buy domain names under several top-level domains in any case, though? Today there are some 1,500 different top-level domains worldwide, either country codes, such as .no or .se, traditional generic top-level domains, such as .com or .net, or the new generic type, such as .shop or .gay. The vast majority of Norwegian companies chose the Norwegian country code for their primary domain name. Depending on which market the company is operating within, it may be relevant to register the company name and trademarks under one or more top-level domains other than the Norwegian one. However, this is an issue for careful consideration and decision and should not be influenced by a random, pushy seller. We recommend that you discuss the matter with your domain name provider. ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/normal-drift-og-normal-belastning/ Wed, 03 Jun 2020 12:49:56 +0000 /?p=15638 Business as usual is not normally considered to be newsworthy. However, considering the situation in Norway and the rest of the world has dealt with over the last few months, a report on normal operations is both important and good news. Norway has been in the forefront on digital services for quite a long time. However, when major parts of society were forced to work from home, services and infrastructure were tested as never before. Norid operates the domain name services (DNS) for the Norwegian top-level domain, which is part of the basic Internet infrastructure. The service is absolutely necessary for Norwegian domain names to work technically. It is well known that scammers know how to exploit a crisis situation, and we have therefore carefully monitored our services over the last months. Luckily we have not registered any type of irregular load. The number of DNS look-ups of Norwegian domain names is normally around 700 millions per day, and this level has remained stable these last months. The number of domain name registrations has stayed the same Several European top-level domain registries have experienced a growth in new domain names during the corona crisis. CENTR, The Council of European National Top-Level Domain Registries, reports a 20 per cent growth in new domain names in April 2020 compared to April 2019[1]. They assume that the reason probably is that many small businesses have been forced to establish themselves online in order to continue business when their physical shop was closed down. The activity in domain name registrations in Norway has remained normal during the latest months despite the fact that many businesses have been closed, with little or no activity over several weeks. We also notice that our collaborating partners, the Norwegian Industrial Property Office and The Register of Business Enterprises/Altinn are experiencing a rush. People with start-up ideas are clearly not sitting on their hands waiting for better times. The impression is supported by the fact that we have had more requests than normal from businesses who want to become providers of Norwegian domain names. The graph compares registration numbers for the period 1 January through 31 May in 2019 and 2020 respectively. [1] https://centr.org/news/blog/is-the-lockdown-driving-domain-registrations.html ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/svindlere-vet-a-utnytte-en-krisesituasjon/ Thu, 02 Apr 2020 13:25:42 +0000 /?p=15517 In the current state of emergency, scammers work to make a profit. They may try to make profit of the virus spread itself, or they may try to exploit that many of us feel anxious and take less caution than we usually do. Working from a home office can make us even more vulnerable. One of the most common type of scam is an email with attachments or links. The purpose is usually to get us to buy amazing anti-corona products, transfer money, or submit credit card or bank account information. As a worst case scenario a scammer can take control of our computer or phone if we reply to the wrong email or click the wrong link. We urge everyone to be very cautious of emails that arrive unexpectedly or that seem suspicious in any way. This particularly applies to unknown senders, but also to what seems at first glance to be trustworthy sources like government officials or banks. A person who is reasonably skilled can combine any sender name with a false email address, and so trick us into replying or clicking a link. If you receive a suspicious email, our advice is that you carefully check the real sender address: Hover your cursor over the name of the sender and look at the domain name of the address hidden behind the name. The domain name is the part that follows the @ sign, i.e. 'norid.no' if the full address is info@norid.no. If this is a Norwegian domain name, you can find information about who the domain name belongs to in our lookup service. Other actors also warn against increasing vulnerability in the ongoing state of emergency (links to Norwegian texts only): Nasjonal sikkerhetsmyndighet: Mer hjemmekontor – store muligheter, men også risikoer NRK: Fikk SMS fra «sjefen» – viste seg å være korona-svindel ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/domeneregistrering-som-normalt/ Thu, 19 Mar 2020 11:26:19 +0000 /?p=15505 Despite the fact that nothing is normal these days, the registration figures for Norwegian domain names remain normal. Other activity in the registry service also remains regular. Our daily operations continue undisturbed. The graph below shows the registration numbers for the period between 1 February and 17 March 2020. ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/nokkeltall-om-norske-domenenavn/ Mon, 09 Mar 2020 13:34:35 +0000 /?p=15474 How many Norwegian domain names are there? How many new domain names are registered and how many are deleted? Who are the biggest registrars for Norwegian domain names? Statistics for Norwegian domain names are now available in a new graphic interface. The graphs are dynamic and can be downloaded as .xlsx- or .csv-files. We are happy to receive feedback and suggestions for other relevant graphs. ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/internettforum-2020-hold-av-datoen/ Mon, 24 Feb 2020 14:22:36 +0000 /?p=15418 The date for Internet forum 2020 is Tuesday 17 November, in Oslo. On 17 November this year's internet forum will take place, this time at Thon Hotel Vika Atrium, right next to Aker Brygge in Oslo. Save the date now, and stay tuned for updates on theme and speakers. ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/open-positions/ Tue, 11 Feb 2020 15:53:44 +0000 /?p=15376 We are seeking people for three positoins: analyst, linux system administrator and advisor on acquisitions and internal control. Application deadline: 26 February. Click on the image to see the ads at jobbnorge.no (in Norwegian only). ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/get-the-domain-name-before-going-public-with-the-company-name/ Tue, 28 Jan 2020 14:34:12 +0000 /?p=15356 When founding or renaming a company, it is important not to stumble in the step-by-step order of registration. A good domain name for the company is often the bottleneck. Everyone must have a domain name, but domain names are unique, and if it’s taken, then it's taken. Then you may have to settle for second best, or at worst you have to start the naming process from scratch. We frequently see that a company chooses its name without having secured the proper domain name beforehand. Then they find out that the domain name is already registered by someone else. The start-up company may think that it will be easy to get it anyway, but this is not always the case. And if they do get the chance, it can be expensive to buy it. They may then be left with a domain name which is less optimal, i.e. less intuitive and user-friendly for its web based services. Our advice to all who plan a new name is very simple: Keep the cards close to your chest until the domain name is registered. Once the domain name is secured, you can register the company in the Brønnøysund register centre (Norwegian chamber of commerce) and tell the world about your plans. More about names and the registration process: /en/nytt-domenenavn/grunder/ ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/kommunene-kan-na-fa-helsamiske-domenenavn-en/ Tue, 08 Jan 2019 10:18:10 +0000 /?p=11875 Starting 8 January 2019, all municipalities in Norway can have domain names where kommune.no is replaced by the three Sami names suohkan.no, gielda.no og tjielte.no. The municipalities are free to decide which name or names they will use. The registration is done via a registrar, as with any other domain name. Here are some examples of possible domain names: tromso.suohkan.no/tromsø.suohkan.no/romsa.suohkan.no tromso.gielda.no/tromsø.gielda.no/romsa.gielda.no snasa.tjielte.no/snåsa.tjielte.no/snåasen.tjielte.no Find a registrar Find your current domain names ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/god-jul-2018-en/ Tue, 18 Dec 2018 09:40:05 +0000 /?p=11789 ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/ukategorisert/problems-with-the-epp-service-en/ Wed, 04 Jul 2018 11:30:22 +0000 /?p=11053 We are experiencing a high load on the registry system, something which is causing problems with access to the EPP service. We are working to locate the problem, and will issue further information when we know more. ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/ny-oppslagstjeneste-satt-i-drift-en/ Tue, 22 May 2018 07:49:40 +0000 /?p=10303 The lookup service for domain names will be changed as from 22 May. For the public the change means that they will have more limited access to customer data. The background for the change is the new privacy laws which will be effective in 2018. The public will now have access to more limited customer data than before. However, anybody will still have the possibility to find contact information to whom is responsible for the domain name, although the service will be presenting more information if the domain holder is an enterprise, than if it is a private individual. The lookup service is offered in two ways: via our website and via port 43. The website interface is intended for the general public. The Port 43 interface is intended to help resolve technical issues, and therefore does not provide information about the domain holder. Read more About the look-up service and privacy concerns More about the background for the changes ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/personvern-whois-blirendret-en/ Tue, 10 Apr 2018 07:18:47 +0000 /?p=9815 In 2018 stricter rules for processing personal data will be implemented. This will affect Norid's processing of data concerning domain name holders. The main principle is that we shall only collect data that we need, and that the domain holder shall be informed about which data is being processed by Norid. Starting on 5 May, we will collect less data about the holder than what we currently do. New lookup service for Norwegian domains Norid runs a lookup service (whois) where the public can enter a domain name and receive information about the domain delegation, the holder, the technical contact and the technical setup, and who the registrar is. The publically available lookup service increases the confidence in Norwegian domains: It is easy to find the right point of contact when a domain causes technical issues It makes it possible to find the person responsible for the delegation It makes it possible to contact the domain holder It contributes to preventing illegal content online The service is important to many actors that need to find the person responsible for a domain name. At the same time, the new data protection act means that the amount of information available to the public must be reduced. Norid has consulted with the Data Protection Authority, and will be launching a new version of the lookup service on 22 May. Learn more Norid's processing of customer data from 5 May 2018 About the lookup service for domain names and data privacy concerns ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/god-jul-og-godt-nytt-ar-2017-en/ Thu, 21 Dec 2017 12:00:49 +0000 /?p=9343 ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/annebeth-won-contributor-of-the-year-at-the-centr-awards-2017-en/ Thu, 05 Oct 2017 09:43:10 +0000 /?p=8703 Among good candidates, Norid’s special advisor Annebeth Lange was pronounced ‘Contributor of the year’ at the CENTR Award ceremony in Brussels 3 October. She was honoured for her many years of work to prevent commercial actors from taking names of countries and territories as their own top level domains. The winners of CENTR Awards 2017: Left: Bert Ben Trinke (SIDN) and Barbara Povše (Registry.si), Giovanni Seppia (EURid), Jörg Schweiger (DENIC), Annebeth Lange (Norid), Eleanor Bradley and John Hollifield (Nominet), David Fowler (CIRA). In 2012 ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) allowed anyone who wished to and fulfilled the requirements, to register top level domains. There are strong conflicts of interest connected to this, and over the years there have been many discussions between different stakeholder groups to find working compromises, a discussion that is still ongoing. Especially the question of whether country names should be allowed as anything other than national top level domains. Should it be possible for a commercial party to register for instance .norway? Norid is promoting Norway’s interests internationally together with Norwegian authorities, and works for a reliable and robust domain name system which is administrated in an open and democratic way. Annebeth B. Lange has worked with internet and domain questions for many years, first in the Norwegian Communications Authority (Nkom), and for the last ten years in Norid. – It has been important for me to ensure that there are resources left for countries where the Internet is not as widespread as in Norway, says Annebeth Lange about the area of work that she is honoured for. – It is great that Annebeth Lange, as a representative of Norid, is getting honoured in this manner. It shows that representatives even from small nations can make a difference on the international arena, through active participation. Nkom is responsible for promoting Norwegian interests within domain name administration in ICANN, and has a very good cooperation with Norid, benefitting greatly from their active participation. I would also like to take the opportunity to congratulate Annebeth Lange with this much deserved award from CENTR, says Ørnulf Storm, Head Of Section at the Norwegian Communications Authority. Norid was also one of three finalists in the category for marketing campaigns with the service navnesok.no, developed by Norid, The Brønnøysund Register Center and The Norwegian Industrial Property Office. With the service navnesok.no anyone with a good idea can check a domain name, company name, and trademark within the same search. This service did not win, but received honourable feedback. CENTR (Council of European National Top-Level Domain Registries) was hosting CENTR Awards for the third time. Projects or individuals who have made a difference in the domain field are rewarded. This year’s winners in six categories were announced during a ceremony in Brussel on 3 October. ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/nye-e-postadresser-5-oktober-en/ Wed, 04 Oct 2017 05:17:16 +0000 /?p=8657 Email addresses are changed from firstname.familyname@uninett.no to firstname.familyname@norid.no This is what happens: As from 5 October 2017 all Norid employees will have their email address on the format firstname.familyname@norid.no. Additional usernames, for example hmg@uninett.no, will continue as username@norid.no after the transition. firstname.familyname@norid.no will be the sender address for all outgoing email. However, all employees can receive emails to their old addresses after the transition as well. All old emails will be kept. ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/norid-i-finalen-i-centr-awards-en/ Mon, 25 Sep 2017 14:25:42 +0000 /?p=8496 The service navnesok.no (namesearch), developed by Norid, The Brønnøysund Register Center and The Norwegian Industrial Property Office, is one of three finalists in the category for marketing campaigns in this year’s CENTR Awards. In addition to this special advisor Annebeth B. Lange is nominated in the category «Contributor of the Year» for her contribution in the field of international domains. CENTR (Council of European National Top-Level Domain Registries) is hosting CENTR Awards for the third time. Projects or individuals who have made a difference in the domain field are rewarded. This year’s winners will be announced during a ceremony in Brussel on 3 October. Considerable contribution to secure top level domains for new countries Fundamental changes are happening on the domain marked. A thousand new top level domains have been launched during the last couple of years after ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) in 2012 allowed anyone who wished to and fulfilled the requirements to register top level domains. Among the new top level domains there are among other things generic concepts (.top, .club), city names and other geographical terms (.berlin and .amsterdam) and trademarks (.statoil, .bbc). There are strong conflicts of interest connected to this, and there have been discussions between different interest groups over many years to find working compromises, a discussion that is still ongoing. Norid’s special advisor Annebeth B. Lange has during this process worked to secure that country names and other territories remain a national or local resource. She is now nominated as «Contributor of the Year» for her tireless contribution. Her message the whole time has been that there should be country codes and country names left for new countries, and that it will be confusing for an ordinary web user if a commercial party for instance could register .norway. Annebeth B. Lange has worked with internet and domain questions for many years, first in the Norwegian Communications Authority (NKOM), and for the last ten years in Norid. During this whole time she has had an extensive international involvement, and during the last few years especially in connection with the processes surrounding new top level domains. Simplifies picking a name for entrepreneurs With the service navnesok.no anyone with a good idea can check a domain name, company name, and trademark within the same search. Previously entrepreneurs had to visit three different websites in order to search the same relevant registers. With navnesok.no it has become easier and quicker to check whether a name is available or in conflict with other names already registered. This check is important to secure personal rights, but also to avoid conflicts where others have the right to a name. The service also recommends an order for the registration process: The domain name first, then the company name and then any trademark rights. With this order it is possible to avoid others taking a newly registered company name as a domain name. The Brønnøysund Register Center and The Norwegian Industrial Property Office are both very happy with the nomination. – Even after only a few months, navnesok.no is very frequently used and obviously fills a need, says head of department Bernt Boldvik in The Norwegian Industrial Property Office. Communications director Mette Siri Brønmo has represented The Brønnøysund Register Center in this collaboration. – This service means a simplification for the users, something we think many have missed, she says. ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/norid-i-finalen-i-to-kategorier-i-centr-awards-en/ Fri, 01 Sep 2017 09:05:14 +0000 /?p=8277 The service navnesok.no (name search) is on the shortlist in the Marketing Campaign Excellence category. In addition Annebeth B. Lange, Special Adviser at Norid, is nominated as Contributor of the Year for her efforts in international domain policy development. All together there are 17 candidates on the shortlist divided into five categories. The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Brussel on 3 October. Simpler to chose a name for entrepreneurs With the navnesok.no service someone who wants to start his own business can check domain name, company name, and trademark in one single search on one web page. Earlier, an entrepreneur would have to visit three different search pages at three different entities to be able to check the relevant registers. The process on checking whether a name is available or in conflict with a name already registered has been greatly simplified with the navnesok.no service. This kind of check is important both to secure one's own rights, as well as to avoid getting into conflicts where others have registered rights to a name. The service also recommends a set order for the registration process: Domain name first, then company name and trademark. When doing the registrations in this order it is possible to avoid the very unfortunate situation that someone else has grabbed the domain name for a newly registered company, before they have the chance to register it. The service is jointly developed by Norid, the Brønnøysund Register Centre and the Norwegian industrial Property Office. Ensuring top-level domains for new countries Annebeth B. Lange is nominated as Contributor of the year for her substantial effort to ensure that country and territory names remain national or local resources in the ongoing global process on new generic top-level domains. The process was initiated in 2012 under ICANN, with the purpose of offering more commercial opportunities in the domain name system by opening for registration of .whatever. Today some 1,200 new generic top-level domains are up and running in addition to the "old" ones, such as .com, .org and the like. When this process started, Lange was the one who pointed at the need of making exceptions for country and territory names from commercial registration. She has been working tirelessly to ensure that new countries that may be established would have their country code and country name available for registration. She also called attention to the consequences if a commercial actor is permitted to register for example .norway. Annebeth B. Lange has been working with internet and domain issues for years, starting at the Norwegian Post and Telecommunication Authorities (now the National Communication Authority), and as Head of legal at Norid for the last ten years. Through the years she has had an extensive international commitment, lately especially with the new generic top-level domains process. She is now honoured for her effort with a nomination as Contributor of the year. More about the CENTR Awards and the nominations: https://www.centr.org/events/centr-awards.html ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/oppgradering-av-norids-registrysystem-torsdag-2017-06-29-en/ Thu, 22 Jun 2017 10:10:37 +0000 /?p=7858 Norid is planning system maintenance on the registry system on Thursday 2017-06-29 08:00-10:00 CET (please note the date). The registry system (EPP and the EPP client), PID automaton, applicant declaration system, registrar web, whois and DAS will be unavailable in short periods during the maintenance window. The name service (DNS) will not be affected. ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/norid-overtar-kommune-no-og-herad-no-23-mai-en/ Mon, 15 May 2017 09:57:34 +0000 /?p=7672 Until now, KS has administered the category domains herad.no and kommune.no, where around 500 domains associated with municipalities and county authorities are registered. As of 23 May Norid will undertake this responsibility in agreement with KS. When Norid takes over, all the domains under herad.no and kommune.no will be subject to the domain name policy for .no. This means, among other things, that each domain has to be associated with a registrar, and the municipality must accept the terms of the domain name policy. Registrars that are already responsible for municipal domain names have been asked to contact their customers and assist with the practicalities that are necessary due to this change. Municipalities that do not use a registrar, will receive information directly from Norid. ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/regelverksendring-rutinen-for-beslag-av-domenenavn-justeres-en/ Mon, 13 Feb 2017 14:53:07 +0000 /?p=7168 The update concerns the following parts of the domain name policy: Adjusted routines for confiscation of domain names The letter ï (i-umlaut) is added to the list of permitted characters Youth Businesses and Student Businesses no longer have specially assigned organization numbers Clarification that a domain name cannot be deleted while it is involved in a complaints process Read the full update here.]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/dnssec-to-become-a-default-delivery-for-norwegian-domain-names-en/ Thu, 22 Dec 2016 09:42:35 +0000 /?p=7030 DNSSEC is a security mechanism which is added to the domain name system to make it possible to ensure that the answers to a domain name inquiry come from the right source and have not been altered on the way. The intention is among other things to prevent fraud. Norway is among the best in the world when it comes implementing this technology. Almost six out of ten Norwegian domain names are now secured with DNSSEC, and this shows that the technology has become part of the standard delivery here. The high usage in Norway gives a good foundation to build a brand new security functionality. We have taken a close look at the material, and looked into how the numbers divide themselves among the registrars, and which important and frequently used Norwegian web pages that still have not been secured. Read the whole article here ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/nedetid-pa-norids-whois-2016-11-04-en/ Wed, 02 Nov 2016 09:43:11 +0000 /?p=6837 Due to a scheduled system upgrade the domain lookup service "Whois" and the "Is the domain available?"-search on www.norid.no will be unavailable or unstable on Friday 11 November 2016 between 8:00 PM and 11:00 PM CET. The services may also be experience downtime without further notice through the weekend following. The services will be fully operational again no later than Monday 7 November 2016 at 07:00 CET. ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/the-domain-marked-rules-of-the-game-changing-en/ Tue, 06 Sep 2016 11:24:09 +0000 /?p=6624 The domain name market is undergoing fundamental changes. More than one thousand top-level domains have been launched the last few years, social media have changed both individual Internet use as well as marketing communications, and new actors with new, disruptive ideas are entering the market. How does this affect the competition on the domain name market? We have delved deep into the matter looking for answers. Read the arcticle here. ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/domain-names-important-for-entrepreneurs-en/ Tue, 28 Jun 2016 08:34:18 +0000 /?p=6428 All who want to attract customers must be on the Internet. Facebook and Instagram accounts are a good start, but a web page and an email address are necessary to give a professional impression. The domain name is very often the bottleneck, and it is crucial to be the first on the ball. Many entrepreneurs do not have the knowledge of how important a domain name is for their business, and that they must be quick to get the name they want. Some will start their process by registering their company, which can lead to someone else snatching the domain name. This may end up costing a lot of time and money both. Startup seminars around the country Tønsberg, Ringebu, Steinkjer, Kvæfjord, Tromsø; these and more are places we have visited during the last year as part of a team of advisers on starting and running a company. Topics range from what type of company to choose and company registration, to financing, trade marks and marketing – and domain name registration. The target group for the arrangement Starte og drive bedrift-dagen is local entrepreneurs who are at the starting line with their own company. The event is run by the Brønnøysund Register Centre with the Norwegian Industrial Property Office and Norid as partners. Starting and running your own business events, Technoport and Norwegian National Championship for Student Entrepreneurs – Norid was there (photo: mid bottom: Fredrik Ravn, Skatt øst, the rest: Norid) Norid message here is the importance of shaping your online identity, and how a domain name should be the basis for web pages and email as well as for profiling in social media. Facebook and Instagram not sufficient Facebook and other social media have an enormous impact, and can be a quick and cheap start. But social media cannot meet all needs. An entrepreneur who needs to build a professional and serious profile for his new company will need a website to complement his Facebook page, and the good, old email is still a simple and orderly tool for professional customer handling and other business matters. A domain name is not free, but it is very cheap. Student entrepreneurs had to hurry Ungt Entreprenørskap Norge (organization that educates student entrepreneurs) arranged the Norwegian National Championship for Student Entrepreneurs in June with 24 very strong finalists. However, a few of them had forgotten to register a domain name for their company or product, thus some got a very busy afternoon getting their domain registration in order. The way to do it for them is for one person to register the domain name as a private individual and then transfer it to their company when that has been registered. The latter is crucial for these entrepreneurs, as they work two or more in a team. It is very important that the domain name is i a joint property for the company, and not a private property for one of the owners. Exactly according to the manual In May Astrid Låte on Stord registered the domain name dittkrydder.no (yourspice). She had been laid off her job, and had worked on different ideas for her own business connected to food. She kept her cards close to her chest regarding her specific business idea, but she was very conscious about securing a domain name. The choice was dittkrydder.no, which passed the counter as domain name number 50,000 registered by Norwegian private individuals. Smart start – a video on starting business A guide: Be present online ( PDF, 162 KB) ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/plans-to-utilize-bv-shelved-en/ Thu, 23 Jun 2016 06:29:15 +0000 /?p=6445 Norid has collaborated with Dutch SIDN to utilize the top-level domain .bv on the Dutch market. Norid and SIDN have now agreed to end the negotiations. This usage of .bv requires a dispensation from certain parts of the Norwegian Domain Regulations. On 21 June, The Ministry of Transport and Communications advised that such dispensation should not be granted. The collaboration between Norid and SIDN on .bv will therefore be concluded. The top-level domain .bv (Bouvet Island) has been an unused domain resource since its creation in 1997. Norid has carefully considered possible ways to develop and use this resource, but the conclusion has been that there are no sustainable ways to utilize .bv for Norwegian users directly. However, the fact that the Bouvet Island is uninhabited, and that .bv thus has no local Internet community, grants the freedom to look into new and innovative ways to develop the top-level domain. BV in the Netherlands is equivalent to AS in Norway (Inc. in the UK), and the Dutch registry SIDN has considered offering .bv on the Dutch market based on this. This would have indirectly gained the Norwegian Internet community a new basis of income that Norid could have invested in added quality of service for .no. – We comply with the decision made by the ministry, and have withdrawn the application for dispensation. From Norid’s perspective, we regret that we don’t get the opportunity to use this domain resource. SIDN runs one of the world’s largest top-level domains, and they are highly recognized internationally for their professional operations. A collaboration would have given the opportunity for valuable exchange of knowledge and experience that would have benefitted the Norwegian community, says Norid’s General Manager, Hilde Thunem. Roelof Meijer, CEO of SIDN, comments: – We regret that the excellent collaboration with our colleagues from Norid on this opportunity has come to an end this way. A successful implementation would have benefitted the Dutch as well as the Norwegian Internet community. More information: Hilde Thunem, hilde.thunem@uninett.no, phone 414 49 885 Timeline with an overview of the process and the relevant documents (in Norwegian only) ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/domenenavn-oker-stadig-en/ Wed, 01 Jun 2016 11:15:25 +0000 /?p=6351 Norid's domain name counter is about to round 700,000 domain names. Companies as well as private individuals contribute to the increase. The Norwegian top-level domain is the obvious first choice for Norwegians who want a domain name. Over the last couple of years some one thousand new top-level domains have been launched on the global domain market, but .no maintains its very strong position in Norway. Kari and Ola find domain names useful .no was made available to private individuals in June 2014, and now private domain no. 50,000 was just registered. The number of registrations increases steadily day by day, which tells us that in addition to businesses, individuals also find it useful to have their own domain name. With a domain name they can create their own corner on the Internet which they can use for whatever they like; a space for their family, for their construction projects on their vacation house, or even to establish their own company. They control the use of the domain name themselves, they can avoid advertisements, and they can keep it for the rest of their life. Less visible – just as important To find what we want on the web, we use search engines, click on links or open apps. Thus the domain name is less visible in our everyday Internet use. However, the domain name is still the stable basis for all Internet based solutions and tools. Domain names are as fundamental and important today as they were ten years ago, and there is no competing technology in sight. Thank you, I'll take both Facebook and other social media channels have an enormous impact area worldwide. They are tailor-made for quick and simple use, and they are cheap or even free. On the other hand users must relinquish their control over the content they publish, and if the service goes offline permanently, everything is gone. Nor can social media meet all needs. An entrepreneur who needs to build a professional and serious profile for his new company will need a website to complement his Facebook page, and the good, old email is still a simple and orderly tool for professional customer handling and other business matters. More about growth in domain names ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/support-for-new-dnssec-algorithms-en/ Tue, 24 Nov 2015 10:10:04 +0000 /?p=5977 From Tuesday 1 December 09:00 am, Norid will support the two DNSSEC signing algorithms 'ECDSA Curve P-256 with SHA-256' and 'ECDSA Curve P-384 with SHA-384'. These algorithms are used by some nameserver providers, among others Cloudflare, and have been requested by several users. ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/ukategorisert/congratulations-to-the-centr-awards-winners-en/ Thu, 08 Oct 2015 08:12:35 +0000 /?p=5872 The winners of the 2015 CENTR Awards were presented on 7 October. Norid was shortlisted in the security category, which was won by a collaboration project between Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Congratulations! Read more about the winners in all categories and enjoy the pictures from the ceremony ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/kvote-2011-en/ Tue, 06 Oct 2015 12:03:37 +0000 /nytt-en/kvote-2011/ Several large Norwegian firms have raised issues with the 20 domains per registrant quota. When they wish to promote projects or brands through corresponding domain names, the quota is a hindrance to them. We are now looking at various solutions to mitigate the problem. One of the bases for the quota system is the desire to limit domain warehousing in order to ensure that new applicants can continue to find good domain names. The drawback is that the quota also puts restrictions on applicants with perfectly legitimate needs for more than 20 domain names. Norpol's advice is that the quota system should be reconsidered, and that Norid should look into other possible measures that can give some of the same positive effects as the quota does. Whilst a more long-term solution is being considered, Norpol recommends an increase of the quota. We expect to conclude the process this autumn. Since an increase will also give better conditions for domain pirates, we will at the same time look for simple measures that can strengthen the complaint procedures. More about the quota system The effects of the quota (evaluation from 2006) An article on the market effects behind domain warehousing ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/endring-vedl-g-2006-en/ Tue, 22 Sep 2015 13:48:34 +0000 /nytt-en/endring-vedl-g-2006/ The applicant declaration form will change as from December 1st 2006. The following information will be added: "The applicant declaration form is an appendix to the domain name policy for .no and is part of the contract between Norid and the domain name holder. The document must be signed and forwarded to a registrar by fax or ordinary mail. If the document is forwarded by fax, the applicant must keep the original himself. The applicant is obliged to present the original on request from Norid." At the same time we carry out some changes of the routines connected to the declaration form. New version of the applicant declaration form (in Norwegian only) ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/tvilsomt2011-en/ Tue, 22 Sep 2015 13:48:34 +0000 /nytt-en/tvilsomt2011/ Domain scammers have resumed activities. Pushy sellers are offering domain names through dubious and unserious methods. We advise our domain name holders to show caution. Their sales method is well known in Norway and abroad: The holder is contacted by a seller offering the business's domain name within other top level domains than .no. It can be a business with the domain anorwegianbusiness.no receiving an offer to buy anorwegianbusiness.com or anorwegianbusiness.org. The seller often claims that competing businesses are interested in the same domains, and that speed is of the essence if you want to secure the name. The result is a huge bill for a service that your business might not have any use of at all. There are just short of 300 different top level domains today, either of the national kind like .no or .se, or the generic kind like .com or .net. It is up to you to decide if you want to register your business name or trademarks within other top level domains than .no, or if you need more Norwegian names. Some Norwegian businesses do need extra domain names locally and abroad, but they are not the majority. If your business is interested in registering more domain names, we recommend that you talk to your registrar about it. Useful links List of .no registrars Domain name registries around the world Warnig from the Swedish registry ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/25k-private-domener-en/ Wed, 28 Jan 2015 08:27:55 +0000 /nytt-en/25k-private-domener/ Last night, the number of private domain names passed 25 000. We have seen a steady growth every day since private individuals gained access to Norwegian domain names in June 2014. – More and more people are discovering the possibilities in having their own domain name, says Managing Director of Norid, Hilde Thunem. – 3.2 million Norwegians use Facebook, and many are also active on other social media. These channels come and go, but a domain name is stable and will last. ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/dnssec-lansering-en/ Tue, 09 Dec 2014 11:25:03 +0000 /nytt-en/dnssec-lansering/ From 9 December Norwegian domain names can be secured with DNSSEC. This means that an end user can know for sure that he arrives at the correct web page when he looks up a domain name. DNSSEC (DNS Security Extensions) is a security extension to the domain name system (DNS). DNSSEC protected domains are cryptographically signed, and this makes it possible to check that the reply to a domain lookup comes from the correct source of origin, and that the lookup remains unchanged. The purpose is among other things to prevent a scammer to falsify an answer in order to send an end user to a fake web page. In addition to making it more secure to use domain names, extensive use of DNSSEC in the domain name system will prepare the grounds for new services that have to trust safety critical data in DNS. &nash; DNSSEC increases the security, but at the same time it demands more competence from the people running the name service for a domain. We still think that the technology now is mature enough to be used as an upgrade of the infrastructure, says Hilde Thunem, Managing Director in Norid. Norid is now offering DNSSEC, and encourages registrars to use the service, but the mechanism will not be activated autmatically for all Norwegian domains. So far 16 registrars offer DNSSEC. ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/mulig-bruk-bv-en/ Fri, 19 Sep 2014 09:38:44 +0000 /nytt-en/mulig-bruk-bv/ Norid is negotiating with the Dutch registry, SIDN, about a collaboration to make the .bv top-level domain available to the Dutch market. We have been in dialogue with SIDN for a while about a possible joint effort to utilize .bv in the Netherlands. SIDN is now examining the market potential, and the further process will be decided on when the market analysis is ready. In addition to the top-level domain (TLD) .no, Norid is responsible for .bv (Bouvet Island) and .sj (Svalbard and Jan Mayen). For the last several years we have considered innovative and efficient ways to make use of them in the growing domain market. Regarding .bv, we keep getting emails from Dutch companies that want to register .bv domain names. In the Netherlands, the abbreviation 'BV' is the equivalent of UK's 'Ltd and Norway's 'AS', which explains the attraction for Dutch companies. For Norid it is important that a TLD we are responsible for is operated in a way we can vouch for, especially with regard to our values and the quality of the service. It is also important that the operation will not harm the good reputation of .no. — SIDN operates in line with Norid's values, and is therefore a highly relevant partner with regard to utilizing the resource that is .bv. If .bv is going to be used, Norid and SIDN want the TLD to provide actual value to Dutch domain name holders, not become yet another top-level domain full of defensive registrations, says Managing Director of UNINETT Norid AS, Hilde M. Thunem. — We have also discussed this idea with the Norwegian authorities. They regard the utilization of an unexploited resource as a positive addition to the existing domain market, she adds. Roelof Meijer, CEO of SIDN, the company that manages the .nl domain, says, — Having this domain alongside our successful country-code domain, .nl, can open up new opportunities. We have a strong relationship with Norid and therefore look forward to working with them, and with the Dutch business community, to make the .bv domain a success. ]]> https://www.norid.no/en/aktuelt/kommune-en/ Fri, 06 Jun 2014 07:25:38 +0000 /nytt-en/kommune/ Information from KS about regulations and the application form can be found on KS' webpage. At the same time the domain herad.no was opened as Generic domain for municipalities (herredskommuner) in Norway. The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities will also administer this Generic domain. Appendix D in the Domain Name Policy for .no is updated to reflect this amendment. Please direct questions about the registration arrangement for kommune.no and herad.no to KS.]]>