What is a Top-Level Domain?
A top-level domain (TLD) is one of the domains at the highest level in the hierarchical Domain Name System (DNS) of the Internet after the root domain. The top-level domain names are installed in the root zone of the name space. For all domains in lower levels, it is the last part of the domain name, that is, the last non-empty label of a fully qualified domain name.
How does a TLD apply to Trust.med?
As the owners of the top-level domain .med, we are an authoritative registry. We leveraged our entire top-level domain to provide a secure and inclusive space for trade partners to start communications. Much like .gov or.mil, Trust.med restricts the use of the .med top-level domain specifically to serve and exchange medical information online.
What does this mean to users of Trust.med?
Trust.med official websites always end in .med. As a controlled domain, only official sources are able to have a .med website.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.
TLDs are not inherently secure, but they can contribute to internet security in a few ways:
Checking Who Owns a Website:
With Trust.med’s verification policies, we can assure every Resolver within our domain is legitimate and the owner of the drug product has been verified and is uniquely identifiable.
Protecting Against Bad Actors: Some TLDs (like .med) use special technology called DNSSEC to make sure that when you type a web address, you’re really connecting to the right website and not a fake one set up by bad actors. DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions) enhances DNS security by adding digital signatures to DNS data. This ensures the integrity and authenticity of DNS responses, protecting against data tampering and DNS spoofing attacks. DNSSEC establishes a trust chain from the root zone down to individual domains, increasing overall DNS trustworthiness.
Rules to Prevent Misuse: TLDs often have rules to stop people from registering web addresses that might trick or deceive others. Trust.med performs extra checks for sensitive names to prevent misuse.