China Internet Network Information Center
Encyclopedia
The China Internet Network Information Center , or CNNIC, was founded as a non-profit organization
on June 3, 1997.
CNNIC is the administrative agency responsible for Internet affairs under the Ministry of Information Industry of the People's Republic of China
. It is based in the Zhongguancun
high tech
district of Beijing
.
. CNNIC manages both the “.CN
” country code top level domain and the Chinese Domain Name system (Internationalized domain names that contain Chinese characters).
As of January 2009, CNNIC only opens the CN domain to registered businesses, requires supporting documentations for domain registration such as business license or personal ID, and suspended overseas registrars even for domestic registrants. CNNIC denies that it mandates existing personal domain names to be transferred to businesses.. Trend Micro
suggests this move is still not enough to stop modern security threats from the .cn domain.
(IP) addresses and AS Numbers to domestic ISPs and users. CNNIC is a National Internet Registry
(NIR) acknowledged by the Asia-Pacific Network Information Center (APNIC). In late 2004 CNNIC launched an “IP Allocation Alliance” which simplified the procedures for obtaining lP addresses.
catalog database
. This database provides information on Internet users, web addresses, domain names, and AS numbers.
and undertakes state technical projects based on its administrative and practical network technology experience.
of Internet information resources. CNNIC maintains statistics
on topics such as Internet bandwidth in China, Domain Name registrations, and Internet Development in China.
In October 2009, the alliance announced its cooperation with two new members - Netcraft
and Maxthon
, who will help the alliance to process and verify various phishing reports, and add the confirmed phishing URLs to Netcraft's phishing site feed and Maxthon's phishing blacklist.
(360安全卫士), an anti-virus software. San Ji Wu Xian was sued by CNNIC for 150,000 RMB and the court ruled out favorably towards CNNIC.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
on June 3, 1997.
CNNIC is the administrative agency responsible for Internet affairs under the Ministry of Information Industry of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. It is based in the Zhongguancun
Zhongguancun
Zhongguancun , or Zhong Guan Cun, is a technology hub in Haidian District, Beijing, China.It is geographically situated in the northwestern part of Beijing city, in a band between the northwestern Third Ring Road and the northwestern Fourth Ring Road...
high tech
High tech
High tech is technology that is at the cutting edge: the most advanced technology currently available. It is often used in reference to micro-electronics, rather than other technologies. The adjective form is hyphenated: high-tech or high-technology...
district of Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
.
Domain Name Registry Service
CNNIC is responsible for operating and administering China’s domain name registryDomain name registry
A domain name registry is a database of all domain names registered in a top-level domain. A registry operator, also called a network information center , is the part of the Domain Name System of the Internet that keeps the database of domain names, and generates the zone files which convert...
. CNNIC manages both the “.CN
.cn
.cn is the country code top-level domain for mainland China.The domain name administration in People's Republic of China is done through a branch of the Ministry of Information Industry. This ministry oversees everything from telecommunications to broadcasting similar to the Federal Communications...
” country code top level domain and the Chinese Domain Name system (Internationalized domain names that contain Chinese characters).
As of January 2009, CNNIC only opens the CN domain to registered businesses, requires supporting documentations for domain registration such as business license or personal ID, and suspended overseas registrars even for domestic registrants. CNNIC denies that it mandates existing personal domain names to be transferred to businesses.. Trend Micro
Trend Micro
Trend Micro Inc. is a computer security company. It is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and markets Trend Micro Internet Security, Trend Micro Worry-Free Business Security, OfficeScan, and other related security products and services...
suggests this move is still not enough to stop modern security threats from the .cn domain.
IP Address and Autonomous System Number (AS Number) Allocation Service
CNNIC allocates Internet ProtocolInternet Protocol
The Internet Protocol is the principal communications protocol used for relaying datagrams across an internetwork using the Internet Protocol Suite...
(IP) addresses and AS Numbers to domestic ISPs and users. CNNIC is a National Internet Registry
National Internet Registry
A National Internet Registry is an organization under the umbrella of a Regional Internet Registry with the task of coordinating IP address allocations and other Internet resource management functions at a national level within a country or economic unit.NIRs operate primarily in the Asia Pacific...
(NIR) acknowledged by the Asia-Pacific Network Information Center (APNIC). In late 2004 CNNIC launched an “IP Allocation Alliance” which simplified the procedures for obtaining lP addresses.
Catalogue Database Service
CNNIC is responsible for the creation and maintenance of the state top-level networkComputer network
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
catalog database
Database
A database is an organized collection of data for one or more purposes, usually in digital form. The data are typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality , in a way that supports processes requiring this information...
. This database provides information on Internet users, web addresses, domain names, and AS numbers.
Technical Research on Internet Addressing
CNNIC conducts technical researchResearch
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
and undertakes state technical projects based on its administrative and practical network technology experience.
Internet Survey and Statistics
CNNIC has conducted, and continues to conduct, surveysStatistical survey
Survey methodology is the field that studies surveys, that is, the sample of individuals from a population with a view towards making statistical inferences about the population using the sample. Polls about public opinion, such as political beliefs, are reported in the news media in democracies....
of Internet information resources. CNNIC maintains statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
on topics such as Internet bandwidth in China, Domain Name registrations, and Internet Development in China.
International Liaison and Policy Research
As the national Network Information Center (NIC), CNNIC maintains cooperative relationships with other International Internet Communities, and works closely with NICs of other countries.Secretariat of the Internet Policy and Resource Committee, Internet Society of China (ISC)
CNNIC serves as the Secretariat of the Internet Society of China’s Internet Policy and Resource Committee. The Policy and Resource committee is in charge of tasks such as providing policy and legislation oriented suggestions to promote the growth of China’s internet, facilitating the development and application of Internet resources and relevant technologies, and actively participating in the research work of domestic Internet development and administration polices.Secretariat of the Anti-Phishing Alliance of China (APAC)
In July 2008, a broad alliance of Chinese online commerce stakeholders, including CNNIC, all major Chinese commercial banks and web hosting companies, founded the Anti-Phishing Alliance of China (APAC) in order to tackle phishing activities that abuse .cn sub-domain names. CNNIC also functions as the secretariat of APAC.In October 2009, the alliance announced its cooperation with two new members - Netcraft
Netcraft
Netcraft is an Internet services company based in Bath, England.Netcraft provides web server and web hosting market-share analysis, including web server and operating system detection...
and Maxthon
Maxthon
Maxthon is a free web browser for Microsoft Windows. The latest release, Maxthon 3, supports both the Trident and the WebKit rendering engines....
, who will help the alliance to process and verify various phishing reports, and add the confirmed phishing URLs to Netcraft's phishing site feed and Maxthon's phishing blacklist.
Malware Production And Distribution
CNNIC produces one of the best-known malwares in China: the Chinese-Language-Surfing Official Edition(中文上网官方版软件). The software is frequently bundled with other adware/sharewares. It was declared malware by Beijing Network Industry Association(北京市网络行业协会) and San Ji Wu Xian Co Ltd., the company behind 360 Safeguard360 Safeguard
360 Safeguard is a program developed by Qihoo 360, a company based in China. 360 Safeguard's main focus is on stopping computer viruses, malware, trojan horses, and security patching for Windows. 360 Safeguard trojan horses scanner is cloud-based...
(360安全卫士), an anti-virus software. San Ji Wu Xian was sued by CNNIC for 150,000 RMB and the court ruled out favorably towards CNNIC.