Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC)
The Security and Stability Advisory Committee advises the ICANN community and Board on matters relating to the security and integrity of the Internet's naming and address allocation systems. This includes operational matters (e.g., matters pertaining to the correct and reliable operation of the root name system), administrative matters (e.g., matters pertaining to address allocation and Internet number assignment), and registration matters (e.g., matters pertaining to registry and registrar services such as WHOIS). SSAC engages in ongoing threat assessment and risk analysis of the Internet naming and address allocation services to assess where the principal threats to stability and security lie, and advises the ICANN community accordingly.
The SSAC produces Reports, Advisories, and Comments on a range of topics. Reports are longer, substantive documents, which usually take a few or several months to develop. Advisories are shorter documents produced more quickly to provide timely advice to the community. Comments are responses to reports or other documents prepared by others, i.e. ICANN staff, SOs, other ACs, or, perhaps, by other groups outside of ICANN. The SSAC considers matters pertaining to the correct and reliable operation of the root name system, to address allocation and Internet number assignment, and to registry and registrar services such as WHOIS. The SSAC also tracks and assesses threats and risks to the Internet naming and address allocation services. For more information on how the SSAC operates, see the SSAC Operational Procedures [PDF, 400 KB].
SSAC documents its findings and recommendations in one of three forms.
At its November 2001 meeting, which focused on security issues, the ICANN Board directed the President "to appoint a President's standing committee on the security and stability of the Internet's naming and address allocation systems. The President is directed to develop a proposed charter, with at least a focus on risk analysis and auditing thereof, in consultation with the President's standing committee, and to submit it to the Board for its approval."
At its meeting on 14 March 2002, the ICANN Board approved the charter of the ICANN Committee on Security and Stability.
On 13 May 2002, the ICANN Board converted the President's Committee on Security and Stability to the Security and Stability Advisory Committee.
On 18 March 2011 the SSAC completed an Improvements Implementation Plan [PDF, 248 KB]. This plan outlines the approach developed jointly by the SSAC Support staff and the ICANN Board’s Structural Improvements Committee (SIC) to implement the 33 recommendations outlined in the January 2010 Final report of the ICANN Board SSAC Review Working Group . This plan conforms to all guidance contained in the ICANN Board’s Resolution 2010.06.25.05 that the SIC will, in coordination with staff, provide the Board with final implementation plans to conform with the measures recommended by the SIC to address the conclusions and recommendations in the final report of the Board Security and Stability Advisory Committee review Working Group. All elements of the plan were completed as of 18 March 2011.
Patrik Fältström is the Chair of the Security and Stability Advisory Committee.
Support for the committee is provided by:
SSAC Member and ICANN Staff Biographies
Comments and other communications to the committee should be sent by e-mail to Julie Hedlund at julie.hedlund@icann.org.