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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Julf, I agree with the analysis by Abbas. Explicitly Including “DNS abuse” broadens the indicator into an area unsuitable for the GNSO Council for the reasons he describes.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>In terms of a statement, we can perhaps relate something like “the ICANN community has reached general consensus around a narrow set of DNS security threats (phishing, malware, botnets, pharming, and spam as a delivery mechanism). However, there has not been universal stakeholder consensus on the broader conceptual definition of DNS Abuse or on where the boundary lies between DNS abuse and content abuse. Therefore, since the term DNS abuse” can mean different things to different stakeholders, even within the narrow threats mentioned, by including "DNS abuse" as an indicator for evaluating the performance of the GNSO council risks creating unclear, and potentially unrealistic, expectations for achieving the stated criteria, to say nothing of the opportunity for debate regarding whether or not the criteria has been met.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I hope this helps.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ken<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> NCSG-Discuss <NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Abbas Sibai<br><b>Sent:</b> Monday, June 15, 2026 9:33 AM<br><b>To:</b> NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: SCCI Criteria 4 - “domain name security threats”<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Hi Julf,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p>Thanks for flagging this. As an individual member of the NCUC, I completely share your concerns. Specifically inserting the term "DNS Abuse" into the GNSO Continuous Improvement Program framework is a major red flag that we definitely need to push back against during the upcoming call on Wednesday, 1 July 2026.<o:p></o:p></p><p>From our constituency’s perspective, <span class=gmaildefault><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>my understanding is that </span></span>there are two distinct "cans of worms" this proposal opens up:<o:p></o:p></p><ul type=disc><li style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><b>Mission Creep and Content Regulation:</b> Broadening the text to explicitly name "DNS Abuse" risks shifting the GNSO's focus from core technical layer infrastructure toward content regulation. <span class=gmaildefault><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>What I understood is that t</span></span>he NCUC has a long-standing commitment to fiercely protecting freedom of expression and digital rights. If the indicators explicitly target "DNS Abuse" rather than strictly defined security threats, it invites outside pressure on the GNSO to police website content<span class=gmaildefault><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>, </span></span>a precedent that directly undermines our core mission and human rights principles.<o:p></o:p></li><li style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><b>Disproportionality and Human Rights Impacts:</b> I<span class=gmaildefault><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> also understood that NCUC </span></span>has consistently advocated that any policy intervention addressing domain security must be narrow, proportionate, and strictly scoped. Tying the evaluation of the GNSO's performance to broad and subjective perceptions of "DNS Abuse" (especially via a survey indicator) creates an incentive to pass sweeping, reactive policies. This places innocent registrants at risk of collective or automated domain suspensions without adequate due process or Human Rights Impact Assessments (HRIAs).<o:p></o:p></li></ul><p>The original text<span class=gmaildefault><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>, </span></span>focusing strictly on "mitigating domain name security threats," keeps the evaluation grounded within the GNSO's technical and contractual scope. The proposed revision unnecessarily complicates it and opens the door to over-policing at the registry/registrar level.<o:p></o:p></p><p>I fully support our leadership taking a strong stance against this text on Wednesday. Please let me know if you need any assistance with drafting a formal statement or if there are specific points you want supported during the call.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><br clear=all><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Warm Regards,</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 9.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#646464'>Abbas Sibai</span></b><br><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#646464'>Policy & Advocacy Specialist</span></b><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 4.5pt 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:10.5pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="tel:+9613824725" target="_blank"><span style='color:#212121'>+9613824725</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table></td><td style='padding:0in 0in 4.5pt 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td style='padding:0in 4.5pt 0in 4.5pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:10.5pt'><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121;position:relative;top:-1.5pt;mso-text-raise:1.5pt'>|</span></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:10.5pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbas-sibai/" target="_blank"><span style='color:#212121'>https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbas-sibai/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 15.0pt 7.5pt 0in'></td><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 7.5pt 0in'></td></tr></table></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>On Mon, Jun 15, 2026 at 12:28<span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> </span>PM Johan Helsingius <<a href="mailto:00001963cc94b85a-dmarc-request@listserv.syr.edu">00001963cc94b85a-dmarc-request@listserv.syr.edu</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal>Hi all,<br><br>I am the NCSG representative to the Standing Committee on Continuous<br>Improvement (SCCI) that is formulating the Continuous Improvement<br>Program framework. The SCCI is chaired by Manju, another NCSG:er, but<br>as chair she has to remain neutral.<br><br>The work until now has been developing the Criteria and Indicators<br>that will be used to judge how well the GNSO processes are working.<br><br>We have made good progress under the very capable leadership of Manju,<br>and most issues haven't been very controversial, but I want to flag<br>the current issue where we probably want to speak up against the current<br>proposal.<br><br>The issue is Criteria 4, "The GNSO actively combats domain name<br>security threats", where there is a proposal to change the draft<br>text from:<br><br> Indicator 1: The GNSO has demonstrated meaningful activity towards<br> mitigating domain name security threats.<br><br> Indicator 2: 66% of surveyed respondents agree that the GNSO<br> combats domain name security threats.<br><br>to:<br><br> Indicator 1: The GNSO has demonstrated meaningful activity towards<br> mitigating DNS Abuse and security threats relating to<br> domain names that are in scope for the GNSO.<br><br><br> Indicator 2: 66% of surveyed respondents agree that the GNSO has<br> demonstrated meaningful activity towards mitigating<br> DNS Abuse and security threats relating to domain<br> names that are in scope for the GNSO.<br><br>While we probably are OK with mitigating domain name security threats,<br>specifically mentioning DNS Abuse opens up some cans of worms.<br><br>We will have a chance to present our views at the next SCCI call on<br>Wednesday, 1 July 2026, so I welcome your comments/opinions.<br><br> Julf<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>