Review of blockchain-based DNS alternatives

Abstract

DNS Protocol was originally designed with no security protection in place. Subsequent DNSSEC added a layer of trust on top of DNS by providing authentication, but it still did not address issues such as DoS/DDoS attacks and deployment difficulties. Blockchain technology offers an innovative perspective to tackle those challenges. By reviewing and analyzing two prevail blockchain-based DNS alternatives (Namecoin and Blockstack), it is concluded that although blockchain presently have problems that have to be solved, it is a promising approach to build decentralized, secure and human-friendly naming systems.