Domain names are unique, easy-to-remember web addresses that make a site easy to locate online, such as Google.com or Wikipedia.org. In most cases, these domains are housed on a single centralized server, making them vulnerable to cyberattacks. One attack could cause the entire system to go offline and wipe that domain name off the web. Decentralized Domain Name System (DDNS), by Master of Information and Cybersecurity grads Alma Nkemla, Amuru Serikyaku, Edward Tatchim, Guang Yang, Osman Sharaf, and Peter Trinh, takes the decentralized route with the help of the blockchain and the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS), which shares files across a distributed network of computers rather than keeping them in a single server. By doing so, domain names are more resistant and harder to take down.
The project was awarded the Lily L. Chang Capstone Award for Summer 2025.
We interviewed the team to learn more —
Explain your project.
Guang: Our project, the Decentralized Domain Name System (DDNS), maps domain names to blockchain assets and leverages IPFS for record storage, enabling secure and censorship-resistant registration and resolution.
- Compatibility: We deployed public DDNS and DDoH (DNS over HTTPS) services, making the system fully compatible with the existing DNS infrastructure.
Scalability: On top of DDNS, we developed the D-Web protocol for hosting decentralized websites, and we plan to extend it further to additional protocols such as decentralized virtual privacy networks (VPNs) in the future.
What inspired your project?
Peter: We were inspired by the limitations of the current DNS system — single points of failure, censorship, and costly intermediaries. Discussions on internet freedom, combined with insights from our cybersecurity coursework, led us to envision a domain system where naming and access are treated as a public resource. Our main motivation was to make the domain system more open and decentralized.
What was the timeline or process like from concept to final project?
Edward: From concept to completion, our development built on Guang’s Phicoin V1 prototype. We forked and customized a new blockchain, designed asset rules to mimic domain hierarchies, and integrated IPFS as the storage layer. We then developed a WebUI for domain registration, deployed DNS edge servers with caching, and conducted STRIDE-based threat modeling. By the time of the capstone showcase, our mainnet was already live.
How did you work as a team? How did you work together as members of an online degree program?
Amuru: We divided the project into several layers — infrastructure, blockchain, WebUI, and security testing — while collaborating through weekly Google Meet sessions, GitHub, Slack, and Notion. One teammate might push code or update slides late at night, and another would review and refine them the next morning from a different time zone. This distributed, asynchronous workflow became a key advantage for our continuous iteration and effective teamwork.
“Without this interdisciplinary perspective, DDNS might have remained just a technical experiment rather than a well-rounded project with meaningful social impact.”
How did your I School curriculum help prepare you for this project?
Alma: The I School curriculum equipped us with both technical skills and critical thinking. Courses in network security, blockchain systems, and threat modeling gave us the tools and methods needed to design DDNS securely. At the same time, classes on ethics and policy encouraged us to reflect on internet freedom, governance, and equitable access. Without this interdisciplinary perspective, DDNS might have remained just a technical experiment rather than a well-rounded project with meaningful social impact.
Do you have any future plans for the project?
Guang and Peter: Yes. We are in the process of registering the Phi Lab Foundation as a nonprofit organization to steward and advance the DDNS protocol. Our goal is to provide free DDNS and decentralized web (D-Web) services to the community over the long term, ensuring neutrality and accessibility. At the same time, we hope to drive broader adoption of this technology so that more people can benefit from it, ultimately promoting information freedom and an open internet.
How could this project make an impact, or, who will it serve?
Osman: DDNS empowers communities, activists, and developers who face censorship or lack affordable naming infrastructure. By lowering barriers to entry (with zero registration fees), it improves the accessibility of Web3 domains and opens new pathways for innovation and inclusion. In the long term, DDNS has the potential to become critical infrastructure for a more resilient and democratic internet.
Anything else you’d like to share?
We are deeply grateful to the Berkeley School of Information for its resources and support, and especially to Professors Ryan Liu and Sekhar Sarukkai for their guidance. Our vision is to build DDNS into a project with long-term sustainability. For any questions or collaboration opportunities, please reach out via email at phicoin.official@gmail.com.
