Prompt Cast
The Seven Key Holders Who Control the Internet
TLDR The internet is controlled by seven key holders who have ultimate control over its functioning, including the ability to reboot the internet if something were to go wrong. These key holders, who are trusted community representatives from different countries, hold the keys that control the internet and participate in key signing ceremonies every three months to recreate the master keys.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
The Internet is controlled by seven key holders who have ultimate control over its functioning.
01:16
There are seven keymasters who hold the keys that control the internet, and there are ceremonies involved, but no sacrificing of animals.
02:22
Every computer on the internet has an IP address, but we use domain names as a more user-friendly way to direct us to the correct IP address.
03:30
When you type a domain into your browser, the first step is for the DNS server to figure out the associated IP address, which is held on a domain name server, and this information is organized in a hierarchical fashion.
04:40
ICANN is the organization responsible for the DNS system and issuing IP addresses, and it runs the root servers for the entire DNS system, using encrypted signatures to verify the trustworthiness of each DNS server.
05:56
Every three months, a key signing ceremony is held by ICANN to recreate the master keys for the HSMs, where seven trusted community representatives from different countries use their unique keys to open the safes holding the smart cards needed to create a new key.
07:00
The seven key holders have the ability to reboot the internet if something were to go wrong, making them some of the most important people in the world.
