Netnod launches secure network time protocol service
Netnod has introduced one of the world's first Network Time Security (NTS) enabled time services. The new standard enhances security by ensuring accurate and verifiable time synchronization across networks.
Swedish internet infrastructure provider Netnod has launched one of the world's first publicly available time synchronization services incorporating Network Time Security (NTS). This new standard aims to significantly bolster network security by ensuring accurate and verifiable time data.
The NTS protocol, developed within the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), enhances the well-established Network Time Protocol (NTP) by adding a crucial security layer. The original NTP, over 30 years old, has been vulnerable to specific attacks that could compromise the integrity of time synchronization.
Patrik Fältström, Technical Director and Head of Security at Netnod, highlighted that many critical internet security tools rely on accurate time. NTS allows clients to cryptographically authenticate the time source, preventing attacks that could manipulate time information, which is vital for systems like TLS certificates and log analysis.
Netnod has been actively involved in the NTS standardization process and was among the first to implement the technology. The company launched its NTS-enabled NTP service on October 28, 2019, offering it globally at nts.ntp.se and locally near Stockholm at nts.sth1.ntp.se and nts.sth2.ntp.se. Netnod also provides documentation for setting up NTS clients.