From Hanoi, Vietnam, 9th May 2025

APAC DNS Forum 2025 convened experts and stakeholders from across the region to discuss pressing issues and innovations in the domain name system (DNS) ecosystem. The forum served as a collaborative platform to examine technical evolution, policy considerations, and operational challenges affecting DNS infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific.

Among the sessions, Anand Raje, CTO of India Internet Foundation, presented on “Enhancing DNS Resilience with AIORI-IMN: Internet Measurement Insights for DNS Edge Deployments.” The talk focused on how AIORI-IMN—a homegrown Internet Measurement Network from India—is being used to evaluate and improve the performance, security, and resilience of DNS, particularly in edge environments.

AIORI-IMN combines a nationwide anchor network of over 100 edge measurement devices and a private Anycast cloud testbed across five Indian cities. This infrastructure enables real-time measurement of DNS availability and latency from user endpoints, supporting more resilient, low-latency DNS architectures tailored for edge computing use cases like AR/VR, 5G, and IoT.

The platform also benchmarks DNS resolvers and its software using performance visualization tools and standards-based methodologies, including implementations aligned with RFC 8250. Metrics collected through AIORI-IMN help zone maintainers, researchers, and service providers make informed deployment decisions and improve resiliency through localized insights.

He emphasized the importance of resilient DNS at the edge to support growing demands for ultra-low latency, regional fault tolerance, and dynamic routing. AIORI-IMN stands out as a scalable, open platform that not only supports technical monitoring but also acts as a foundation for academic research, standards development, and capacity building across the region.

The session underlined how regional innovation, such as India’s AIORI initiative, can contribute meaningfully to global DNS stability and measurement strategies—offering replicable models for other countries and communities.

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Understanding DNS Zone Files

A DNS zone file is a text file that describes a DNS zone. It contains mappings between domain names and IP addresses, along with other resource records (RRs). The integrity of these files is crucial because any alteration can lead to unauthorized access, traffic redirection, or service disruption.

What is ZONEMD?

ZONEMD, short for Zone Digest, is a mechanism defined in RFC 8976 to provide cryptographic integrity for DNS zone files. It involves creating a digest (hash) of the entire zone file, which can be used to verify that the file has not been altered.

ZONEMD Presentation format for root zone

.			86400	IN	ZONEMD	2024072800 1 1 56497D17957CC43807312151EB31D1D1C88C8255769FF9269A342D943FE080B88800D053868374F90FCEAD6D23C96BE3

How ZONEMD Works

1. Digest Calculation: A cryptographic hash function is applied to the entire DNS zone file to produce a digest. This digest represents a unique fingerprint of the file’s content.
2. Digest Publication: The digest is included in the zone file itself, specifically in a new type of DNS resource record called the ZONEMD record.
3. Verification: When a DNS zone is transferred or updated, the recipient can calculate the digest of the received zone file and compare it with the digest in the ZONEMD record. If the digests match, the file is confirmed to be intact and unaltered.

Benefits of ZONEMD

Enhanced Integrity

ZONEMD provides a robust method for ensuring the integrity of DNS zone files. By verifying that the file has not been tampered with, ZONEMD helps prevent unauthorized modifications that could compromise the security of the DNS.

Simplified Validation

ZONEMD simplifies the process of validating DNS zone files. Administrators and automated systems can quickly verify the integrity of zone files without needing to check each individual resource record, saving time and reducing the potential for errors.

Increased Trust

The use of ZONEMD builds trust in the DNS infrastructure. By ensuring that zone files are authentic and unchanged, it enhances the reliability of DNS data, which is critical for secure internet communication.

Implementing ZONEMD

Zone Signing

To implement ZONEMD, DNS administrators need to calculate the digest of their zone files and include it in a ZONEMD record. This process can be automated using DNS management tools that support ZONEMD.

Verification Process

During zone transfers or updates, the receiving system calculates the digest of the zone file and compares it with the ZONEMD record. If the digests match, the zone file is verified; otherwise, the transfer or update is rejected.

Implications for DNS Security

ZONEMD represents a significant advancement in DNS security. By ensuring the integrity of entire zone files, it addresses potential vulnerabilities associated with zone file tampering. This makes DNS more resilient against attacks and enhances the overall security of internet infrastructure. ZONEMD is a powerful tool for ensuring the integrity of DNS zone files. By providing a cryptographic method to verify that zone files have not been altered, ZONEMD enhances DNS security and reliability. As the internet continues to grow and evolve, mechanisms like ZONEMD are essential for maintaining the trust and integrity of the DNS, safeguarding the digital world.

References

https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc8976.html

https://www.icann.org/uploads/ckeditor/rzerc-003-en.pdf

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