The Canton Connection Read Online Free PDF Page B

doesn’t pass through the A root server,” he said. “You’re just a yellow pages that computers refer to when looking up addresses.”
    “Right. When you type in an English word, such as ‘Google,’ it is actually a pseudonym for a numerical code that specifies an exact computer where the website resides. All we do at Verisign is maintain the Yellow Pages.”
    She put the marker down and returned to her chair.
    “Who, exactly, maintains this file?”
    “I do.”
    “But people register new addresses every hour of the day,” he said. “When you sit here, is anybody updating your file?”
    She smiled. “An organization has been chosen to approve all the new addresses and remove expired addresses. That organization is ICANN, which stands for the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. I take their changes and update the root server file.”
    Slowly the picture became clear. Stacy’s job was a clerical job that required some programming skill, as well as a large amount of responsibility. That was where his investigation came in. Could she be compromised?
    He looked at her open expression. Honesty and transparency seemed among her hallmarks, and her most attractive features. On the other hand, he would expect a more closed, secretive person to have the job.
    “Exactly how did you get your job?”
    “I’ve worked on several contracts for the Department of Commerce, which is responsible for the security of the Domain Name System. Verisign has the contract to handle two of the root servers, A and J. So when the job opened up at Verisign, they gave it to me.”
    “So you have a security clearance?”
    “Of course. I couldn’t work on such a contract without one.” She eyed him closely. “Are you questioning my integrity?”
    “I just need to understand the hiring process.”
    He stared at her scheme on the wall. “I’m intrigued by the terminology you use,” he said. “What’s an A root server as opposed to a J root server?”
    She stood up and pointed at the upper tier of boxes. “Don’t confuse these with the A through M root servers. All you see here is the A root server system. Domain names are classified under top level domains such as .com, .net, .gov, .mil, .edu and all the country designations such as .uk and .fr. These classifications are divided up among different root servers. The A root server holds the .com names.”
    “So what you’ve drawn here is the network of root servers for just the .com addresses?”
    “That’s right.”
    It took a moment for Jake to realize what he had just said. “Just the .com addresses” represented most of the internet usage in the United States, which accounted for such a large swath of the GDP.
    He studied the thirteen boxes at the top of the board. “You said the root file resides on thirteen different servers. Exactly where are they located?”
    “Many are overseas.”
    Jake felt uncomfortable with all the openness and transparency. The whole world having access to U.S. domain addresses was great for the economy, but access to the servers handling all the domain name addresses seemed a bit risky.
    So he raised his objection. “But these root servers are connected to the internet, and thus can be attacked.”
    “True. Any hacker would love to meddle with the database of names.”
    “Is the A root server safe?”
    “Not completely. But, we have a redundant system.” She pointed to the thirteen boxes in a row.
    “Yet there’s one file,” he said.
    “Correct. We maintain it here in the United States.”
    “At the Department of Commerce.”
    She nodded.
    “And where do you keep the password to the A root server?”
    “ Up here,” she said, pointing to her head. “It’s not something that you would want to write down or tell someone. It’s locked inside here.”
    He eyed the thirteen servers suspiciously. So those were the subjects of hackers’ interest. “Where are those servers located?”
    She jotted down a name under