Abuse Contact Management in the RIPE NCC Database

This is a proposal to introduce a new contact attribute named "abuse-c:", which can be included in inetnum, inet6num and aut-num objects.

Summary of proposal:

This is a proposal to introduce a new contact attribute named "abuse-c:", which can be included in inetnum, inet6num and aut-num objects.

This proposal is explicitly not about data accuracy. If the RIPE community wishes, the data accuracy issue will be tackled in a separate policy proposal.

It provides a more efficient way for maintainers to organize their provided information and helps to increase accuracy and efficiency in routing abuse reports to the correct network contact. In addition, it helps all kinds of institutions to find the correct abuse contact information more easily.

Currently within the RIPE region, it is an issue for maintainers to determine the best place to publish abuse contact information (irt, "abuse-mailbox:", "remark-fields:", and in which object they should be published). As a consequence, it is an issue for all kinds of institutions to find the correct abuse contact.

The proposal intends to improve the abuse reporting value of the RIPE database at a high level. It does not intend to specify the technical details of the implementation or the procedures for the transition from the current system of abuse contact to the prospect one. Such details will be presented in the Review Phase of the PDP after the initial community discussion.

Policy text:

New policy text

[Following text will result in a new RIPE Policy Document “Abuse Contact Management in the RIPE NCC Database“]

Abstract

This policy originated from the work of the Abuse Contact Management Task Force. The task force examined the collection and maintenance of resource registration information in the RIPE NCC Registry Database, including potential areas for improvement and alternative approaches.

This policy introduces a new contact attribute named "abuse-c:", that can be included in inetnum, inet6num and aut-num objects.

1.0 Abuse Contact Information

The "abuse-c:" will reference a role object holding abuse contact information. The positioning of the "abuse-c:" attributes will make use of the hierarchical nature of the resource data to minimize the workload on resource holders. Internet number resources need to have an "abuse-c:".

The "abuse-c:" will be mandatory for all aut-nums.

Due the hierarchical nature of IP address objects, at least every direct allocated inetnum and inet6num needs to have an "abuse-c:". Inherited objects might have their own "abuse-c:" attribute or they will be covered by the higher level objects.

The role objects used for abuse contact information will be required to contain a single "abuse-mailbox:" attribute which is intended for receiving automatic and manual reports about abusive behavior originating in the resource holders’ networks.

The "abuse-mailbox:" attribute must be available in an unrestricted way via whois, APIs and future techniques.

As per current practice, other "e-mail:" attributes can be included for any other purposes.

2.0 Attribution

This document is compiled from policies developed by the RIPE community.

The following people actively contributed by making proposals through the RIPE Policy Development Process:

Tobias Knecht

Rationale

a. Arguments supporting the proposal

It provides a more efficient way for maintainers to organize their provided information and helps to increase accuracy and efficiency in routing abuse reports to the correct network contact. In addition, it helps all kinds of institutions to find the correct abuse contact information more easily.

Unlike existing email contacts in RIPE database, the new "abuse-c:" will have the advantage of being available with no restrictions to bulk access, which facilitates automated abuse reporting processes.

b. Arguments opposing the proposal

As this RIPE policy proposal does not describe in detail the process and procedure of the policy implementation, it will be necessary to clarify these details.