This year marks several anniversaries in the Austrian internet landscape. 35 years ago, the .at internet domain extension was introduced into the global Domain Name System. In 1998, the registration authority nic.at and the online reporting center Stopline were established. CERT.at, Austria's national Computer Emergency Response Team, celebrates its 15^th birthday. This results in 100 years of internet competence in Austria.

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35 Years .at – A Success Story from the Start

In 1988, the internet was still in its infancy. The first transatlantic fiber-optic cable connected the American continent with Europe, and the first emails were being sent. During this time, a group of researchers registered the .at internet extension at the University of Vienna. Leading this effort was Dr. Peter Rastl, the longtime head of the Computer Center (ZID) at the University of Vienna, who is now referred to as the "father" of the internet in Austria. In response to the request to include the .at extension in the Domain Name System (DNS), a message came back on January 20, 1988, from internet pioneer Jon Postel in America: "Done." This marked the birth of the Austrian domain extension.

"We were pioneers and had just learned to understand how the internet worked back then."
Dr. Peter Rastl, Scientist & "father" of the internet in Austria

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25 years of nic.at – Professional and Secure Domain Management

The demand for .at domains was significant from the start. The increased administrative workload necessitated organized management. The Association of Austrian Internet Providers (ISPA) founded the "nic.at Internet Verwaltungs- und Betriebsgesellschaft.m.b.H" 25 years ago, which later became the current nic.at GmbH. As a subsidiary of the Internet Foundation, nic.at aims to promote the internet in Austria and professionally manage and secure all .at domains. A monumental task: by the end of 2000, around 160,000 names were registered; in 2023, there are over 1.5 million domains.

"The greatest challenges at the beginning of nic.at were the gray areas in the legal, technical, and administrative fields. A lot has changed in these areas in the last 25 years."
Richard Wein, CEO of nic.at
www.nic.at

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25 Years of Stopline – Fast Removal of Illegal Content

As the internet rapidly expanded, its darker aspects also became apparent. On a server of an Austrian host provider, instances of sexual exploitation of minors were discovered. This event, 25 years ago, served as the catalyst for the creation of Stopline, the online reporting center for individuals who come across sexual exploitation of minors or content related to National Socialist activities on the internet. The primary objective is the swift and uncomplicated removal of illegal content. Stopline operates in close cooperation between ISPA and nic.at and has processed over 200,000 reports from vigilant internet users since its inception. Anyone who encounters offensive content on the internet can turn to the reporting center.

 "The success of Stopline is primarily thanks to the many vigilant internet users, as well as collaborations and networks both domestically and internationally."
Barbara Schloßbauer, Project Manager at Stopline
www.stopline.at

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15 Years of CERT.at – Securing the Internet in Austria

Since 2008, CERT.at (Computer Emergency Response Team Austria) has been the national point of contact and international hub of information for cybersecurity matters. CERT.at issues warnings, shares indicators of attacks, tips, and tricks to those in need, and provides support and assistance in cases of emergency. Through the Network and Information Systems Security Act (NISG), CERT.at became the official national computer emergency response team and, thus, the central point of contact for cybersecurity in Austria for the EU. An important milestone is the ongoing collaboration with the Federal Chancellery in the realm of the Government CERT (GovCERT), as well as the Austrian Energy CERT (AEC), which CERT.at operates for the Austrian energy sector. The Austrian Trust Circle, formed by CERT.at and the Federal Chancellery, brings together those who actively and proactively want to exchange knowledge on cybersecurity topics.

„We are motivated by the fact that Austria relies on us to keep the internet safe and clean.“
Wolfang Rosenkranz, Head of CERT.at
www.cert.at

 

Download 100 Years nic.at Jubilee pdf