Insider Domain Name Snatching Probed

[Michael]

By ANICK JESDANUN
The Associated Press
Wednesday, October 24, 2007; 11:51 AM

NEW YORK -- The Internet's key oversight agency is investigating suspicions that insider information is being used to snatch desired domain names before an individual or business can register them.

The Security and Stability Advisory Committee of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers termed the practice "domain name front running" and likened it to a stock broker buying or selling shares ahead of a client's trade, in anticipation of a movement in price.

That has led to suspicions that someone with access to search requests has been using the information to gauge interest in a domain name.

By buying the domain first, that person can then try to sell it to the interested party for a profit. This is different from traditional domain name speculation because the buyer knows for sure that the address is of interest.

Although the practice has never been proven, the ICANN committee said the perception that it is happening "portrays an unfavorable image of the parties associated with the domain name registration process in specific, and of the domain name community in general."

The committee said it wants to prevent "perception from evolving to accepted wisdom."

The committee cited several ways front running may be happening, including the installation of viruses and other software programmed to collect such information and the use of unscrupulous third-party sites to check domain name availability. Coincidence also was cited as a possibility.

ICANN is trying to gather evidence on whether it is occurring and, if so, whether policies or other measures are required to restrict the practice.

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On the Net:

http://www.icann.org/committees/security/sac022.pdf

 

[labrocca]

Duh...ICANN are fools. The drop market is full of corruption. It's just obvious as all hell.

 

[Ronald Regging]

This isn't about the drop market though... This is about domain lookups.. They're stating that its possible that some people are gaining access to the searches, thus allowing them to register domains that people may be interested in.

This is the classic, "I looked up a domain today and 10 minutes later it was registered by someone else" rant...

Honestly, I wouldnt be surprised if some registrars are outrightly selling this info to bring in extra revenue.

But generally speaking, I think this is too frequent to be coincidence... Money wise.. it makes sense... so someones doing it. SImple as that.

I don't see how the liken it to insider trading though. Up until you actually register the domain, you have zero rights to it. Therefore, if you don't register it, that's your problem. And this is no different than the other collected info that companies sell every day.

 

[Domain Name Newbie]

[url="http://www.dnhour.com/story.php?title=Domain_Name_Front_Running]Domain name front running[/url] or [url="http://www.dnhour.com/story.php?title=Domain_Spying_Hype]domain spying[/url] is another dark side of domain industry other than cyber squatters. Most of these domain will be 'tasted' and if they find the traffic is good, they'll keep the domain name. If we are lucky enough, they just drop the name. My word of advice, raise enough funds first before you start.

 

[Gregory]

I was thinking about this the other day. I didnt think it would actually be possible though.

 

[Domain Name Newbie]

I was thinking about this the other day. I didnt think it would actually be possible though.

I was skeptical at first too, whether this domain spying is possible. It seems that there is an insider (who have access to the search database) that can manipulate our domain name search query.

 

[Gregory]

I was skeptical at first too, whether this domain spying is possible. It seems that there is an insider (who have access to the search database) that can manipulate our domain name search query.

Food for thought, I guess.

 

[jmcc]

I was skeptical at first too, whether this domain spying is possible. It seems that there is an insider (who have access to the search database) that can manipulate our domain name search query.

I don't think that you understand what is going on. Basically, some websites through which whois queries are performed have actually been set up by cyberwarehousers/droptasters/assorted scum. They monitor the queries and then register the domains for themselves rather than the user performing the lookup. It is that simple.

As for the ICANN people - they are a waste of space.

Regards...jmcc

 

[Domain Name Newbie]

I guess the safest bet is to make your domain name search queries in a reputable registrars but then again I did heard someone become a victim of domain name front running when he/she search for the availability of the domain name via GoDaddy. Hhhmmmm.....