Abstract: A method and system for authenticating answers to Domain Name System (DNS) queries originating from recursive DNS servers are provided. A verification component provides a verification that a DNS query originated from the recursive DNS server. An authoritative DNS server receives the query via a network, such as the Internet, and provides an answer to the query to an authentication component. The authentication component then provides an authentication, such as a digital signature, which confirms that the received answer was provided by the authoritative DNS server, and then communicates the answer and the authentication to the verification component via the network. The verification component then verifies that the authentication corresponds to the received answer and sends the answer to the recursive DNS server. When the verification component receives an answer in the absence of a corresponding authentication, the verification component drops the answer.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for routing content requests. On a given server network, content requests comprising a character string may be routed up a hierarchical network topology until a linear chain, corresponding to the character string, is identified. Thus, the content request is forwarded up the hierarchy until an intersecting server network is reached. Then the content request is forwarded down the hierarchy until, along a published linear chain corresponding to the character string, until a content source is reached. Content is provided to the requestor along a reverse path of the content request.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for routing content requests. On a given server network, content requests comprising a character string may be routed up a hierarchical network topology until a linear chain, corresponding to the character string, is identified. Thus, the content request is forwarded up the hierarchy until an intersecting server network is reached. Then the content request is forwarded down the hierarchy until, along a published linear chain corresponding to the character string, until a content source is reached. Content is provided to the requestor along a reverse path of the content request.