Internet Stability and Security

Funding will be provided to initiatives that promote Internet security with a focus on Latin America and the Caribbean. Topics of interest include:

• Domain Name System (DNS). Innovative approaches, such as DNSSEC or others, that increase Internet users’ trust in the Domain Name System and in the various online services they access.
• Routing security. Initiatives that support greater deployment of technologies that favor routing system security, including RPKI, RPKI extensions, routing registries, and the adoption of good practices such as MANRS.
• Measurements. Initiatives that study the level of deployment of Internet security technologies, vulnerabilities and trends at the regional level.
• Confidentiality of communications. Strategies and solutions to improve the confidentiality of Internet traffic.
• Data security and integrity. Solutions to strengthen data security and mitigate data leaks.
• Internet of Things security.
• End-user device security. Alternatives to improve security at the end-user device level.
• Capacity building in cybersecurity. Proposals that are sustainable over time and that seek to build capacity in Internet infrastructure security among specific communities.

Resilience refers to the Internet’s ability to maintain an acceptable level of service in the event of failures that affect information traffic. Resilience is often considered a metric of Internet health. 

The Internet is always subject to potential threats and vulnerabilities. This demands the development of new technologies and the deployment of collaborative efforts to make the Internet more resistant to the vulnerabilities inherent to its infrastructure and potentially malicious activities that seek to destabilize its operation.

FRIDA seeks to finance initiatives that strengthen Internet resilience in Latin America and the Caribbean. Topics of interest include:

• Distributed Denial of Service Attacks (DDoS). Innovative approaches to prevent DDoS attacks or promote the large-scale adoption of existing technologies.
• DNS. Deployment of anycast DNS services or other innovative solutions.
• Monitoring and mitigation of anomalies. Automated monitoring mechanisms that will allow identifying and mitigating incidents such as packet losses, Internet blocks or routing anomalies.
• Collaboration with global measurement projects. Efforts for our region to contribute with measurement projects such as Atlas, Measurement Lab, RouteViews, RIPE RIS and others.

Interconnection covers the different mechanisms through which Internet operators enable Internet traffic. It includes both technical aspects as well as business strategies for operators to connect among themselves.

The consolidation of the Internet in Latin America and the Caribbean relies on an efficient and reliable interconnection of networks that maximizes the cost-benefit ratio so that the Internet will be more affordable.

FRIDA seeks to finance initiatives that strengthen regional interconnection. Topics of interest include:

• Internet exchange points. Initiatives to bring network operators together and encourage the creation of Internet exchange points and/or to strengthen existing IXPs, including efforts to improve access to content distribution networks (CDNs).
• Measurements. Initiatives to study the state of interconnection in the countries of the region, monitor IXP traffic, and identify regional trends.
• Traffic management: Tools to measure the effectiveness of the internal traffic management practices implemented by IXPs and analysis of traffic management strategies with a focus on interconnection.
• BGP. Automated BGP configuration and management to facilitate interconnection efforts.
• Capacity building in interconnection. Proposals that seek to build capacity in the field of interconnection among specific communities and which are sustainable over time.

The Internet depends on proper network operation. Internet providers in Latin America and the Caribbean have the opportunity to increase the sophistication of their network operation strategies through innovation and automation. 

This subtopic focuses only on small and medium operators. FRIDA seeks to finance initiatives that promote innovation in Internet network management in Latin America and the Caribbean. Topics of interest include:

• Automation and innovation. Tools for automated network management, including network operation and monitoring, and innovative solutions for the operation of networks/datacenters.
• BGP. Training and research to encourage automation in BGP configuration and management.
• Domain Name System (DNS). Process automation tools to facilitate the management of DNS servers, both authoritative and recursive.
• Measurements. Systems to visualize and update network status for integrated network management and other measurement tools.
• Innovations in network architecture. Innovative strategies to improve network architecture, including reviews of service needs, the implementation of enhancements to configuration and security audits.

Projects presented in this subcategory should focus on the use and application of Blockchain technology in relation to one of the four main thematic axes included in the Internet Stability and Security category, more specifically, Cybersecurity, Resilience, Interconnection, and Network Operation, and/or in relation to one or more specific subtopics. 

In this subcategory, applicants may present research projects, case studies, and/or proofs of concept and/or prototypes designed to achieve practical goals and specific original results related to the use and application of Blockchain technology for Internet Stability and Security. 

Since this is a recent area of study and practical application, projects should seek to obtain results that will contribute to practical and concrete solutions and/or to generate knowledge that may be useful to expand and promote the topic in our region.