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VeriSign Shutting Down Site Finder
00420 writes "VeriSign, the administrator of the .com and .net domains, made plans to shut down its new Site Finder service Friday, after the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ordered the company to undo controversial changes. Of course they're not taking it down because it affected the internet, they're just doing it to keep good relations with the technical community. (Seems a little late for that doesn't it?)" The shutdown is not complete yet, though: VeriSign hasn't changed their wildcard DNS entry (64.94.110.11).
Where do you think the bulk of your domain registration fees go to?
Here is the start of a thread on the NANOG mailinglist:
. html
http://www.merit.edu/mail.archives/nanog/msg14917
Just goes to show how pissed people really are.....
SCREW THE ADS! http://adblock.mozdev.org/ Proud user of teh Fox of Fire - Registered Linux User #289618
From: owner-registrars@verisign-grs.comr egistrars@verisign-grs.com]On Behalf Of VeriSign Customer
.com and .net zones and revert to the former behavior for these
[mailto:owner-
Service
Sent: Friday, October 03, 2003 6:08 PM
To: registrars@verisign-grs.com
Subject: [RegistrarsList] VeriSign NDS Response to Suspension of Site
To All Registrars,
I am writing to update you on VeriSigns Site Finder service. On Friday,
October 3rd, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
(ICANN) directed VeriSign, Inc., to temporarily suspend service no later
than 6PM PST, Saturday, October 4. VeriSign requested an extension from
ICANN for 3 additional days for the shut down in order to provide the
technical community time to make any necessary system changes.
Unfortunately, ICANN refused this request. Accordingly, in response to
this demand, VeriSign is temporarily suspending the Site Finder service
as of Saturday, October 4 at 6PM PST.
In suspending the service, VeriSign will remove the wildcard A records
from the
zones which is returning Name Error/RCODE=3 in response to queries for
nonexistent domain names.
VeriSign remains committed to improving the Internet user experience.
We look forward to providing the Site Finder service following this
suspension. Thank you for your business. We greatly value our
relationship with you.
Best Regards,
Chris Sheridan
Manager, Customer Service
VeriSign, Inc.
www.verisign.com
I simply placed a entry in my HOSTS file and blocked out Verisign's DNS hi-jacking.
The answer is simple. Do your research. You'll find out that Verisign is owned by a bunch of very-well-connected people that seem to know their way around Langely all too well.
has been for years
There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter
What might get VeriSign into very big trouble is the admission, in the press release that "ICANN is using anecdotal and isolated issues to attempt to regulate non-registry services, but in the interests of further working with the technical community we will temporarily suspend Site Finder."
I think this is a brand new tactic on the part of VeriSign, to categorize it as a "non-registry service".
That seems to escalate things to a new level, in that it seems to be an admission of abusing their monopoly in the Registry for the provision of a NON-REGISTRY SERVICE.
It had been my understanding that previously their position would have been that it would have been categorized as a Registry service, but one that didn't need approval due to it being "free" (i.e. needs no contract amendment). However, giving advantage for the provision of a non-registry service seems to be MUCH WORSE. Suppose that NON-REGISTRY SERVICE was a REGISTRAR SERVICE, for example, and VeriSign abused its monopoly to advantage one of their partners in that space? Just like WLS.
Clearly, VeriSign's abusive and monopolistic business practises need to be examined at the highest levels of government and by regulators.
P.S. Keep up the pressure, by supporting the Stop VeriSign DNS Abuse petition -- 17,000 signatures and counting.
Heres one violation that I found.
As noted in the Message from Security and Stability Advisory Committee to ICANN Board:
Now take a look at verisign's
Of course, Im no lawyer. Any comments on this would be appreciated. It looks pretty clear to me that Verisign isnt meeting their contractural agreements.
I like how Verisign is trying to act like ICANN is acting so rash and irresponsible:
This is what ICANN is for. This is excellent news! It doesnt matter how many moronic web users are clicking on things when verisign's page comes up or how useful Verisign's market research shows it is. Its important to adhere to standards. Verisign's excuses are hilarious. "Users find it useful. It has nothing to do with the loads of advertising money we get. I swear!".
Its always about money.
Forget that, transfer to GoDaddy.com for $7.75 and you get a one year extension. I've had no problem with them at all and have been only paying $9/year for my domains.
Jim Harry
You forgot one important thing though: Verisign doesn't manage the .org TLD.
:)
As such, I'm glad to have one.
Verisign still gets your money - GoDaddy has to pay them $6/yr per domain. That's the wholesale fee Verisign charges to all registrars for .com/.net domains.
$x='S24;r)>63/* h@<5+oZ)32"5cz';$me='phroggy'x$];
$x=~y+ -xz+\0-Tx+;print$_^chop$me for split'',$x;
As of about 8:00 PM EST the wildcard A records pointing to 64.94.110.11 appear to be gone. I'm now getting normal NXDOMAIN responses to queries for nonexistent names.
As for the Web site, I suppose they must have taken that down, too. If you try explicitly going to http://64.94.110.11 (sitefinder-idn.verisign.com) you get a keen little page that says
We didn't find: "64.94.110.11"
There is no Web site at this address.
and I'm sure VeriSign wouldn't fib about a thing like that....
Never grep a yacc by the i-node.