Slashdot Mirror

Robert Accettura writes "Network Solutions has updated its whois interface, giving it an interesting new twist. On top of regular info provided, it shows data that appears to be from Alexa, including a screenshot of the homepage (though not terribly recent), as well as looks up your IP, and displays lots of information on it. It even shows the server type, if it supports SSL, DMOZ, Yahoo listing, traffic ranking, and lock status. This comes right after they announced rapid DNS updates. Perhaps they are trying to win over the geeks before they turn on sitefinder?"

Robert Accettura writes "Network Solutions has updated its whois interface, giving it an interesting new twist. On top of regular info provided, it shows data that appears to be from Alexa, including a screenshot of the homepage (though not terribly recent), as well as looks up your IP, and displays lots of information on it. It even shows the server type, if it supports SSL, DMOZ, Yahoo listing, traffic ranking, and lock status. This comes right after they announced rapid DNS updates. Perhaps they are trying to win over the geeks before they turn on sitefinder?"

baileyjs asks: "I help run a small web development firm, and we are always trying to save money, but not at the cost of service to our customers. We currently purchase DNS services from our ISP, but are looking at getting our own rack. I was going to put some DNS servers there when I saw that Network Solutions offers free DNS. All our of domains (about 150) are currently on Network Solutions, so transfer is not an issue. Why shouldn't I use Network Solutions? Why should I build my own? What reasons, besides 'Network Solutions is Evil', can I give my boss?"

mark_wilkins writes "This morning the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a district court's dismissal of his claims against Network Solutions as a part of Kremen v. Cohen, Et Al.. This is the case in which Gary Kremen, the original owner of sex.com, sued Stephen Cohen and Network Solutions for transferring the sex.com domain to Cohen in response to Cohen's obviously fraudulent letter. While Cohen has fled the country, Network Solutions is still very much here and available to offer up any damages that might be rewarded. The case is going back to the district court for further hearings."

RedCedar writes "James Rutt, the CEO of Network Solutions has deleted all of his postings from the Well, apparently for fear of having some of them used against him in news stories. The Washington Post has this story on it. " Regardless of who it is, this is an interesting trend, I think perpuated by The Media in general of focusing on the person. Do you think this will become a more regular occurence? Am I going to have to wipe my own comments? *grin*

The following story is somewhat alarming. You must read it if you own a domain name. It is not a hoax; I tested the security hole on a domain name I own. It worked. A large number of readers have written us about it. The Network Solutions site was already overloaded and responding slowly in the wee hours and is probably going to be hit hard all day. They have made a monumental mistake here. Click below to read Slashdot reader Ralph Brandi's excellent description of what's going on. Update posted 2:10 p.m. EDT - see bottom of the story (below).

Ralph writes: Network Solutions has starting spamming some of its customers with notices that include, among other things, the news that they've set up a free e-mail account for you, without bothering to ask first, at their new dot com now mail Hotmail clone. They've even taken the liberty of assigning you a password:

3. Lastly, we are pleased to offer you a FREE e-mail account using our new dot com now mail service. Because it's Web-based, you can use it in the office, at home or on the road. You'll need the following information to set up your account:

 >>>>>>>>>>>>Login name:  domainid
 >>>>>>>>>>>>Password:    domainidnsi

Note that nifty password? It's the same pattern for every domain they've registered an e-mail address for.

Big security [bleep]up. If someone beats you to your account and "guesses" your password, now they can masquerade as you, and if they change the password, you can't even get into the account.

I've already gone into my "accounts", verified that they exist, and changed the passwords. I know that they exist because when I entered other domain IDs I control that I wasn't spammed at, I was returned to the login screen rather than being brought to a presumably newly-created mail page.

I called Network Solutions tech support to demand that they remove the accounts, but the moron on the line didn't understand that they were doing something incredibly boneheaded and wouldn't listen to my explanation. The person on the line insisted that they wouldn't create an account without me signing up for it, but I didn't have to sign up; it was already in place.

The mail I received started out "As a customer of Network Solutions or one of our Premier Program members", so I'm not sure if they're doing this for everyone or just for people who bought their domains through some of the big providers like Pair who are part of the "Premier Program". If you get the e-mail from them, I suggest logging on immediately and changing your password, whether you wanted the account or not. Maybe with a little prodding, Network Solutions will realize they screwed up and delete the accounts and change their procedure.

Update posted 2:10 p.m. EDT by RM - doulos writes "If your tired of getting a busy signal at the 703-... phone number, I found that they have a nice staff of people waiting to answer your questions and complaints at the following TOLL FREE phone number: 1-888-642-9675

They did refer me to the toll-line, but I (politely) insisted that because this was a matter of security that they had initiated, that I should be able to at least speak with a supervisor. They nice person on the phone _politely_ complied, and I was able to put in my request to have those e-mail accounts removed with my appropriate domains.

I just thought I would submit this as an article update because I felt maybe if the phone # was posted as an update it might help alieve some of the offense of having to call, by at least removing the toll from being on your nickel..."

The following story is somewhat alarming. You must read it if you own a domain name. It is not a hoax; I tested the security hole on a domain name I own. It worked. A large number of readers have written us about it. The Network Solutions site was already overloaded and responding slowly in the wee hours and is probably going to be hit hard all day. They have made a monumental mistake here. Click below to read Slashdot reader Ralph Brandi's excellent description of what's going on. Update posted 2:10 p.m. EDT - see bottom of the story (below).

Ralph writes: Network Solutions has starting spamming some of its customers with notices that include, among other things, the news that they've set up a free e-mail account for you, without bothering to ask first, at their new dot com now mail Hotmail clone. They've even taken the liberty of assigning you a password:

3. Lastly, we are pleased to offer you a FREE e-mail account using our new dot com now mail service. Because it's Web-based, you can use it in the office, at home or on the road. You'll need the following information to set up your account:

 >>>>>>>>>>>>Login name:  domainid
 >>>>>>>>>>>>Password:    domainidnsi

Note that nifty password? It's the same pattern for every domain they've registered an e-mail address for.

Big security [bleep]up. If someone beats you to your account and "guesses" your password, now they can masquerade as you, and if they change the password, you can't even get into the account.

I've already gone into my "accounts", verified that they exist, and changed the passwords. I know that they exist because when I entered other domain IDs I control that I wasn't spammed at, I was returned to the login screen rather than being brought to a presumably newly-created mail page.

I called Network Solutions tech support to demand that they remove the accounts, but the moron on the line didn't understand that they were doing something incredibly boneheaded and wouldn't listen to my explanation. The person on the line insisted that they wouldn't create an account without me signing up for it, but I didn't have to sign up; it was already in place.

The mail I received started out "As a customer of Network Solutions or one of our Premier Program members", so I'm not sure if they're doing this for everyone or just for people who bought their domains through some of the big providers like Pair who are part of the "Premier Program". If you get the e-mail from them, I suggest logging on immediately and changing your password, whether you wanted the account or not. Maybe with a little prodding, Network Solutions will realize they screwed up and delete the accounts and change their procedure.

Update posted 2:10 p.m. EDT by RM - doulos writes "If your tired of getting a busy signal at the 703-... phone number, I found that they have a nice staff of people waiting to answer your questions and complaints at the following TOLL FREE phone number: 1-888-642-9675

They did refer me to the toll-line, but I (politely) insisted that because this was a matter of security that they had initiated, that I should be able to at least speak with a supervisor. They nice person on the phone _politely_ complied, and I was able to put in my request to have those e-mail accounts removed with my appropriate domains.

I just thought I would submit this as an article update because I felt maybe if the phone # was posted as an update it might help alieve some of the offense of having to call, by at least removing the toll from being on your nickel..."

joshmathis writes "ZDNET is reporting that a US federal judge has ruled that Network Solutions, Inc. has antitrust protection for their monopoly on domain name registration. It may be short-lived, though. "

MikeM writes "Apparently a research group has demonstrated extremely fine control of quantum dots (artificial atoms created by creating quantum wells in semiconductors and then inserting electrons one by one). Since they are at the quantum level, are controlled by optical lasers, and are built up from silicon using existing semiconductor fabrication techniques, they provide perfect quantum logic gates for optical computers. "