What is NASK?
Author: Domeny.ForSale editorial team Published
In brief: NASK, short for Naukowa i Akademicka Sieć Komputerowa (Research and Academic Computer Network), is a state research institute whose work includes cybersecurity, research into digital technologies and education. It also operates the .pl domain registry, maintaining the central system of information about names registered under Poland’s country-code domain. For a website owner, the key distinction is this: NASK is responsible for the registry, but domain registration and renewal are usually handled by your chosen registrar.
What does NASK do?
The institution’s full name is Naukowa i Akademicka Sieć Komputerowa – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy (Research and Academic Computer Network – State Research Institute), abbreviated to NASK PIB. The word “network” in its name reflects its academic roots, but its current activities extend beyond connecting universities to the internet.
NASK conducts research and development into digital technologies, carries out educational activities and supports the safety of internet users. An important area of its work is identifying threats and responding to incidents: events that compromise the security of systems or data.
One of NASK’s projects is Ogólnopolska Sieć Edukacyjna (OSE), the Nationwide Education Network, which provides schools with fast, secure and free internet access. This is a separate area of activity from domain services: a school using OSE and a company registering a .pl address use different services provided by the same institution.
What role does NASK play in .pl domains?
NASK operates the registry for the .pl country-code domain. The registry is a central system that stores information about registered names and their administration. NASK also maintains the DNS infrastructure for the .pl domain. DNS is the system that makes it possible to locate services associated with internet names, such as the server hosting a website.
This does not mean that NASK stores the content of every Polish website or configures email for every domain registrant. Its role concerns the operation of the .pl domain as a whole, rather than the day-to-day maintenance of individual websites.
When setting up a website, you will usually encounter three distinct roles:
| Organisation | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| NASK as the registry | The central registry of .pl names and DNS infrastructure at the .pl domain level |
| Registrar | Accepting requests for registration, renewal and other domain operations |
| Hosting provider | Space for website files, an application or email, depending on the service |
The registrar and hosting provider may be the same company, but the domain and hosting remain separate services. The domain registrant is the person or organisation entitled to use the name under the terms set out in the agreement. The informal term “domain owner” does not mean that the address has been purchased forever.
When should you contact your registrar rather than NASK?
If you want to register a domain, pay for its next registration period, change the registrant’s details or transfer its management to another company, your registrar should be your first point of contact. The registrar provides the customer control panel, handles billing and carries out the requested operations in the registry.
For example, suppose you run a shop at a .pl address and the website stops working. The mere fact that the address ends in .pl does not mean there is an outage at NASK. The cause could be a failure to renew the domain, incorrect DNS configuration, a hosting outage or a problem with the shop application.
A short sequence of checks can help:
- Check the domain’s status and the payment for its renewal in your registrar’s control panel.
- Establish who manages the DNS and check whether its settings have recently changed.
- Check the status of the server, website and email with your hosting provider.
You can find information about the registry and domain lookup tools on the official .pl registry website. Confirm current procedures there and with your registrar. Check the renewal price in the price list of the company managing your domain — it should not be confused with the charges between the registry and the registrar.
NASK, CERT Polska and reporting threats
CERT Polska operates within NASK as a team responsible for responding to security incidents. It performs the duties of CSIRT NASK, one of Poland’s national computer security incident response teams. CERT Polska analyses threats, accepts reports and publishes warnings and materials to help protect users.
You can report suspicious websites and messages used for phishing to CERT Polska, among other threats. Phishing involves impersonating a trusted person or institution to obtain data or money through deception, or to persuade the recipient to take an unsafe action. Check the official CERT Polska website for current reporting channels and instructions.
If you enter your banking details or lose money after clicking a fake link, reporting it to CERT does not replace contacting your bank and, if you suspect a crime, the police. Likewise, reporting a malicious website is not a complaint about a hosting service or a procedure for recovering a domain.
Does NASK control the Polish internet?
NASK is not an institution that approves every website in Poland. Operating the .pl registry does not mean exercising editorial control over website content or confirming the credibility of its authors. The .pl ending alone is therefore not a certificate of security for a shop or service.
Before submitting a report, identify the problem: domain and payment — registrar; website files and server — hosting provider; suspicious message or website — CERT Polska. This distinction helps you go straight to the organisation that can take the appropriate action.
See also: What is a CDN?
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