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Explore the history, functionality, and evolution of the whois protocol for internet routing in this 55-minute conference talk from the 38th Chaos Communication Congress (38C3). Dive into the two main types of whois databases - domain names and internet numbers - with a focus on their role in internet routing registries. Learn how BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) relies on trust-based mechanisms for route distribution and discover how network operators use whois databases to implement routing policies. Examine the Routing Policy Specification Language (RPLS), various Internet Routing Registry (IRR) databases, and their differences in authority. Understand the vulnerabilities in current mechanisms, including unauthenticated retrieval channels and plaintext password updates via email. Get introduced to modern alternatives being developed, such as the Registration Data Access Protocol and the Routing Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI), while considering the trade-offs between centralization and distributed systems in routing policy management.
