One of the important features of the mojeID service launched by CZ.NIC seven years ago is its integration with the domain registration system. Multi-step verification of the provided data serves as a method of increasing the accuracy of contact details in the .CZ domain registry. As a bonus, the contacts verified this way can use the mechanism of a single sign-on using authentication protocols on websites that offer such an option. As might be expected, among such websites there are also portals of some of our registrars, two of which have lately even ranked among the 10 services with highest login count. The concept of linking a domain registry to a digital identity (eID) has long been the subject of many questions from foreign domain registries and numerous presentations at international conferences. Now it seems that other foreign registries decided to implement this concept.
Last week, the Dutch organization SIDN, the .NL domain registry, informed that it has acquired a majority stake in the company Connectis (a major provider of digital identity services). In its report, SIDN states that although it has taken an interest in the area several years ago, it has not enough experience to move forward. That is something expected to be resolved by the mentioned acquisition. SIDN sees the easier access to services provided by Connectis as an opportunity for .NL domain registrars. It is interesting that as one of its core service, Connectis advertises the participation in the pan-European eID concept as defined in the eIDAS Regulation. Integration with eIDAS infrastructure also belongs to our long-term goals. Not so long ago, we even added the Connectis system as a service provider in mojeID. It is not yet clear whether it will be possible to manage not only the .CZ domains, but also .NL domains with one mojeID account, but we certainly want to discuss closer cooperation with colleagues from the Netherlands.
Coincidentally, also last week, our Danish colleagues from DK Hostmaster, the .DK domain administrator spoke about the eID concept linked with the domain registry. In response to the growing trend of fraudulent online transactions, they decided to implement measures enabling Danish citizens to register a domain name using only the local authentication service NemID. For foreign holders, they intend to carry out subsequent checks of the provided data with the available international databases and in case of doubt to request further identification information individually. This is more or less a similar concept of our contact data verification method, except for that we currently prefer voluntary verification.
Certainly we are pleased that other European domain registries embark on a path that we are, in a sense, paving with our activities. Naturally, this means a bit of a challenge for us so we do not stay in the same place and carry on with leading the way.