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NSI Registers Every Domain Checked

Posted by kdawson on Tue Jan 08, 2008 03:31 PM
from the that's-why-they-are-the-front-runner dept.
The Internet
An anonymous reader writes "In a developing story, registrar Network Solutions has been caught front-running domain names. Any domain names searched via NSI's whois are being immediately purchased by the registrar, thereby preventing a registrant from purchasing the domain at any other registrar. There are multiple reports of this practice over at DomainState.com." Update: 01/09 01:58 GMT by KD : shashib writes to let us know that NSI has issued a response to the accusations of front running.

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Firehose:Network Solutions registers every domain checked by Anonymous Coward
[+] ICANN Moves To Disable Domain Tasting 137 comments
jehnx writes "Following Google's crackdown on 'domain tasters', ICANN has voted unanimously to eliminate the free period that many domain buyers have been taking advantage of. At the same meeting they also discussed Network Solutions' front running but took no action on it."
[+] Technology: ICANN to Add Anti Front Running Charge? 63 comments
shashib writes to tell us that ICANN is considering a new $0.20 per-transaction fee for large numbers of domain registrations in order to curtail domain tasting abuse. Network Solutions, previously accused of front-running, is offering their support of the new approach and promises to remove the security measures that caused such a commotion back in January. "Because of the prevalence of these practices, earlier this year Network Solutions enacted an opt-in domain protection measure for our customers that reserves available domains for four days. If ICANN adopts the anti-tasting provision, Network Solutions will feel safe in discontinuing its service since the non-refundable fee will deflate domain taster's profits and provide a substantial blow to front runners who use and sell search data for tasting purposes."
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  • ...automate requests with a dictionary? Make them bankrupt themselves purchasing bogus domains?

    • Re:Any way to... (Score:5, Funny)

      by Shakrai (717556) * on Tuesday January 08, @03:36PM (#21958430) Journal

      I was just about to post that ;) Best idea ever.... quoting this [domainstate.com] from DomainState.com: someone could totally script this and run there credit through the roof with the registry hahahahaha.

      Assuming it costs them SOMETHING (even pennies) to register a domain with the central registry then I think this is an absolutely awesome idea. I'll run such a script if someone writes it. In fact maybe I'll write one myself, because screwing over NSI sounds like a much better way to spend my afternoon then doing anything productive ;)

      • Re:Any way to... (Score:5, Funny)

        by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08, @03:40PM (#21958510)
        In fact maybe I'll write one myself, because screwing over NSI sounds like a much better way to spend my afternoon then doing anything productive ;)

        You must work for the government.

      • Re:Any way to... (Score:5, Funny)

        by kmac06 (608921) on Tuesday January 08, @03:51PM (#21958740)
        Screwing over NSI is productive!

      • Re:Any way to... (Score:5, Funny)

        by Mr. Underbridge (666784) on Tuesday January 08, @04:11PM (#21959134)

        Assuming it costs them SOMETHING (even pennies) to register a domain with the central registry then I think this is an absolutely awesome idea. I'll run such a script if someone writes it. In fact maybe I'll write one myself, because screwing over NSI sounds like a much better way to spend my afternoon then doing anything productive ;)

        If you can't write that in under three lines in the scripting language of your choice, you officially lose your nerd card. ;)

      • Re:Any way to... (Score:5, Informative)

        by djtack (545324) on Tuesday January 08, @04:13PM (#21959154)
        Here ya go... One thing, I noticed NSI stops registering domains after about 50 or so.

        #!/usr/bin/perl

        $count = $ARGV[0] || 8;
        @charlist = (A .. Z, a .. z, 0 .. 9);

        while (1) {
        my $domain = "";
        foreach $i (1 .. $count) {

        $word = `dd bs=1 count=4 if=/dev/random 2> /dev/null`;

        $number = unpack I1, $word;
        $number = $number / 2**32;
        $number *= scalar @charlist;
        $number = int $number;

        $domain .= $charlist[$number];
        }

        print `whois -h whois.networksolutions.com $domain.com`;
        sleep 2;
        }

    • Re:Any way to... (Score:5, Informative)

      by ergo98 (9391) on Tuesday January 08, @03:39PM (#21958500) Homepage Journal

      Make them bankrupt themselves purchasing bogus domains?

      I doubt they're making any financial commitment "purchasing" these domains. They're simply putting in a database record, and then removing it within the 5-day grace period (thus removing any liability to any other registrars).

        • Re:Any way to... (Score:5, Insightful)

          by misleb (129952) on Tuesday January 08, @03:57PM (#21958834)

          if enough people are scripting bogus names,
          perhaps their database and/or db server will choke.
          THAT will cost them money to bring back online.


          Yeah, but then you'd be arrested as a "terrorist."

          -matthew

    • Re:Any way to... (Score:5, Insightful)

      by glpierce (731733) on Tuesday January 08, @03:47PM (#21958652) Homepage
      They won't lose any money (that's the whole point of "tasting", isn't it?), but that doesn't mean it wouldn't hurt them. If someone made a script that would search for every possible domain (up to say, 50 characters in length), no other registrar would be able to sell anything. There are enough competitors with enough money and enough at stake to pressure ICANN to take action if that happened. They could also theoretically sue NSI for attempting to create a monopoly (I assume there's some law it would break). Of course, that assumes that NSI doesn't pull the plug quickly enough.

    • Re:Any way to... (Score:5, Funny)

      by Sloppy (14984) on Tuesday January 08, @04:12PM (#21959142) Homepage Journal
      Make them bankrupt themselves in court. Instead of random names, use a dictionary of trademarks, politician's names, law firm names, etc. Get Network Solutions to register authenticdisneymerchandise.com, applemultimediacomputers.com, deweycheathamandhowelimited.com, advicefrommichaelmukasey.org, etc. Then write a letter of appreciation to Disney, about how grateful you are that they're selling Mickey Mouse porn so cheaply.

  • Time for it to go (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Spazmania (174582) on Tuesday January 08, @03:37PM (#21958480) Homepage
    I'm sorry, but its simply time for free domain tasting to go. It costs something like $6 at the back end to register a domain for one year and its a hardship on no legitimate use if they have to pay another $6 to correct a typo.
  • network-solutions-hates-non-whites.com
    our-ceo-jacks-off-to-goatse.com
    batman-touched-my-junk-liberally.com

  • Don't use WHOIS (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Antibozo (410516) on Tuesday January 08, @03:44PM (#21958576) Homepage

    Whether it's NSI or some other registrar doing it, this has been a known issue for a long time. The solution is not to use WHOIS. Instead follow DNS from the root and see if it goes anywhere. E.g.:

    dig the-domain-you-want.com. +trace

  • ICANN to the rescue! (Score:5, Funny)

    by EllynGeek (824747) on Tuesday January 08, @03:44PM (#21958588)
    Don't worry, ICANN will fix everything and make it right!

    I slay me.

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