Internet security company Verisign is exploring block-chain applications in domain name services.
According to a patent application published by the US Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday, Verisign is considering the use of block-chain technology as part of a potential new DNS security extension (DNSSEC) project.
The DNSSEC protocol exists to protect users from being maliciously disguised as real sites. These protocols verify that the user is trying to reach the site that they are really exposed to.
Verisign proposes to establish a system that uses a common classifier for a block chain to store digital certificates, public keys, or other authentication objects.
The DNSSEC protocol compares the authentication objects stored on the ledger with the objects returned by the site to confirm that they match. Other iterations of the protocol will use public and private keys as additional security measures.
Use block chains to ensure that objects stored on the ledger are immutable and that they are not subject to hacker attacks or malicious attacks.
According to the application description:
"The relying party can find the information in the public ledger by specifying the hash value and verify that the information obtained is correct by comparing the hash value of the received message with the specified value.
While the company outlined some of the potential ways to implement the DNSSEC protocol, it did not point out any plans to advance the development of the new system.
However, the idea that the block chain can be used to store the site key is not new, and many projects and start-ups are looking for potential ways to use the various forms of technology to manage the web realm.