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NSI Registers Every Domain Checked
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.
...automate requests with a dictionary? Make them bankrupt themselves purchasing bogus domains?
There is a war going on for your mind.
I'm working on a program to perform millions of random whois searches via NSI.
They control a big database and know when someone's about to buy something from one of their competitors, so they instantly buy it so the person has to buy it from them for any fee they want to charge. This is historically one of the most unethical companies around, I always assumed they did this, I'm just glad I got my domain ~10 years ago when it was actually possible.
rooooar
RTFA. If the user doesn't buy in a few days, they delete the domain- doesn't cost them anything.
Username taken, please choose another one.
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.
Moderating "-1, Disagree" is simple censorship. Have the guts to post your opinion.
network-solutions-hates-non-whites.com
our-ceo-jacks-off-to-goatse.com
batman-touched-my-junk-liberally.com
If you haven't made a developer cry, you've wasted a day.
The domain name registrars and the ssl certificate services are all run by crooks.
It is appalling that so much of our security infrastructure relies on this pack of thieves.
What should be we do to correct this problem?
Perhaps a consortium of the major Internet providers could start up a new DNS system.
I'm not talking about Comcast/verizon/aol, I'm talking about Level3, Cogent, Teleglobe etc..
thoughts?
Who needs a script when you have the power of Slashdot?
Stressed? Me? Of course not. Stress is what a rubber band feels before it breaks, silly.
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. +traceDon't worry, ICANN will fix everything and make it right!
I slay me.
we will end no whine before its time
I did whois on frammusjammer.com at NSI, then thirty seconds later tried to buy the domain at Godaddy. It was already taken. Checked whois at register.com and it shows NSI as the owner.
Just tried that search (my subject line) on the Network Solutions site and all domains for it were available, yet I searched using Easily.co.uk immediately after and f***younetworksolutions.com was registered by them immediately:
:-D
Record expires on 08-Jan-2009.
Record created on 08-Jan-2008.
Database last updated on 8-Jan-2008 14:38:53 EST.
Yup, I did that 4 mins ago.
I wonder how much it is costing them per domain
Are you local? There's nothing for you here!
Now try to purchase one of those at a different registrar.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
This is no dupe as this shows a specific example of someone practicing it.
Now you can relly test it; I searched for about 20 domainnames and they are now all registered by NS.
"Domains may disappear" is a bit different than "NSI Registers Every Domain checked"
News does evolve over time... that's why it's news.
Here's to the crazy ones
I'll just respond in whole to the dozen or so posts above this one... don't bother writing automated requests to "bankrupt" NSI, as it doesn't cost them a cent to register a domain and then release it with in a few days. It's called domain tasting, which is also a problem with domain names that expire and are snatched up by creeps running scripts at the head end of one of the less scrupulous registrars.
Mysteriously, the domain is suddenly unavailable.
http://outcampaign.org/
I never understand why given that this is blatantly anti competitive, companies aren't immediately prosecuted under anti trust laws with their directors going to prison. And don't forget about some nasty fines and civil penalties. So if we find a college kid who copies a movie we prosecute the f*ck out of them and financially squeeze them until they are thoroughly screwed over. But if you are a big company and you screw over millions of people, you get off scot-free. Apart from the fact that the rule of law is a joke if the powerful are not investigated it would be better for the economy and everyone's standard of living if anti trust laws were enforced. How many extra thousands of dollars every year do we spend on things because they are more expensive than they would naturally be if companies were not violating anti trust laws.
Probably the best way to do this search so that it actually consumes the most interesting space first, is to build random domain names, weighted based on existing names. For example, you could build names by taking the most common 2 and 3 letter sub-strings:
... and so on
foo.com
bar.com
foobar.com
foo: frequency 2
bar: frequency 2
oob: frequency 1
oba: frequency 1
fo: frequency 2
oo: frequency 2
ba: frequency 2
ar: frequency 2
ob: frequency 1
Now, just pick random length, say 5, and generate random strings with the weights to the random selection being the frequency. Better yet, just generate EVERY possible permutation, ordered by frequency like so:
foofo.com
foooo.com
fooba.com
fooar.com
barfo.com
baroo.com
barba.com
barar.com
fofoo.com
oofoo.com
bafoo.com
arfoo.com
fobar.com
This should generate all of the most likely-to-be-registered domains of the given length. You could do this based on, say, a few google searches, some Wikipedia articles, and some subset of DMoz. That should get you a nice collection of domain names to seed with.
Here, use this:
http://support.suso.org/dns/saferdomainlookup.php
I wrote it a few months ago after these types of issues started coming up. I provide some transparency so that you can have confidence in trusting it. Of course, you can always use command line whois or DNS tools.
Don't you mean....
justchecking.com ?????
...would probably help: http://www.poemsthatgo.com/gallery/winter2004/jabber/index.htm
..that I tested this out using the domain name 'networksolutionsjustlostacustomer.com', which is still up for grabs.. but only via networksolutions, natch.
Criminy, this is bad.
1. Went to godaddy.com and searched for {obscurewords}.com. It's available.
2. Went to networksolutions.com and searched for the same. It's available.
3. Went back to godaddy.com and searched for the same, again. NOT available!
NS is rotten to the core.
What a coincidence that just today, NSI spammed their customers with a Winter DNS sale announcement. Perhaps they are betting the hate will die down after the 3 week sale. If you need some help moving your DNS away from NSI, take a look at their HOW-TO
...about domains being tasted by spammers etc. that then would try to sell them to you at inflated costs?
In some ways this is a lot better, so if I have an idea for a domain, go register it at NSI, get sidetracked, go back the next day, the domain would still be available and not stolen by somebody sniffing the whois traffic etc.
As long as network solutions is upfront with this practice I think it could definitely be spun as a positive vs a negative (check a domain here and you can be sure that you'll be able to register it for up to 5 days after, instead of risking it being stolen or held for ransom).
-- the cake is a lie
Look at the domains Network Solutions now owns!
the-real-microsoft.com
the-real-ibm.com
the-real-dell.com
the-real-walmart.com
the-real-esso.com
the-real-general-motors.com
the-real-ford.com
the-real-chrysler.com
Is there some way we can get RIAA mad at them? Register a bunch of domains using the names of songs, artists, lyrics, etc? I think if we could get a NSI vs RIAA fight going the sheer awesomeness of it would be brain melting.
You are using English. Please learn the difference between loose and lose; they're, there, and their; your and you're.
I just searched netsolatemydomainsearch.{everything they offered} and then checked it on godaddy. The dot com version was taken, but the other TLDs were left alone.
e.g. netsol screenshot of me searching for a few sites:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/griffjon/2178156179/
GoDaddy saying the dot com version is taken:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/griffjon/2178156285/in/photostream/
Even more disgusting, the whois record has a freaking advert in it from netsol:
Registrant:
This Domain is available at NetworkSolutions.com
13681 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 300
HERNDON, VA 20171
US
Domain Name: NETSOLATEMYDOMAINSEARCH.COM
This Domain is Available - Register it Now!
600,000 domain names are registered daily! Don't delay; there's no guarantee
that a domain name you see today will still be here tomorrow!
Register it Now at www.NetworkSolutions.com.
Administrative Contact, Technical Contact:
Network Solutions, LLC domainsupport@networksolutions.com
13681 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 300
HERNDON, VA 20171
US
1-888-642-9675 fax: 571-434-4620
Record expires on 08-Jan-2009.
Record created on 08-Jan-2008.
Database last updated on 8-Jan-2008 15:33:32 EST.
Returned Peace Corps IT Volunteer
Just looked up Network-solutions-antitrust-violation-demo.com. and Network Solutions registered it.
Time for ICANN to issue a policy under the registrar agreement to enforce section 3.7.9: "Registrar shall abide by any ICANN adopted specifications or policies prohibiting or restricting warehousing of or speculation in domain names by registrars."
3:20pm - I searched for networksolutionsisabunchofdouchebags.com and they snapped it up
3:40pm - I searched for networsolutionsisabunchofsneakybuggers.com and they didn't touch it
Domain Name Wire has posted a response from NSI's PR department. Here's the relevent quote from NSI:
I just got off the phone with Susan Wade, who heads PR for Network Solutions. "This is a customer protection measure to protect customers from frontrunners," said Wade. "After four days, we release the domain." According to Wade, Network Solutions instituted this program as a test over the past few weeks. I asked if Network Solutions is actually acting as a frontrunner by doing this and she said there's a distinction. First, they are not monetizing the domains. Second, they have no intention of keeping the domains. All domains are released after the four day period.Translation: So if anyone else does it, it's bad, because they're domain front-running. But when we do it's it's ok, because, uh, we say so. No, really!
Shameless plug for my photos on Flickr
I checked an obscure domain name through them in the last several days and it was available. Lo and behold, it is now registered. I will be calling their support line at 1.888.642.9675, and / or their technical support line at 1.866.391.HELP to figure out what is going on.
I sure hope I don't take up too much of their time, because 1-800 minutes aren't cheap for them, neither is tying up their support personnel. However, if you're curious about these practices, you might want to speak with them yourself - it's your right after all.
Better known as 318230.
Sorry pal, this is Slashdot. Source or GTFO.
Weaselmancer
rediculous.
IMHO, bullshit.
You can now buy uselessdomain00001.com for $34.99.
So they are DEFINITELY monetizing it, by charging more now that it has some traffic.
paintball
It's not a hold tag, they do actually register it - it's called domain tasting. You can register a domain and keep it for 5 days before you need to either pay for it or release it.
What NSI are doing is registering the domain for the 5 day period after anyone does a search for the name, making anyone who wants the domain only buy it through them for the 5 days. If after 5 days noone wants it, then NSI can simply release the domain name and not pay a penny.
...would you mind posting it?
Weaselmancer
rediculous.
Just found this in the ICANN Front-running paper. Note the contact email at the end...
For each instance of suspected domain name front running, the type of information that would be most useful in studying the case includes but is not limited to:Method used to check domain name availability (e.g., web browser, application).
Local access ISP.
Provider or operator of the availability checking service.
Dates and times when domain name availability checks were performed.
Copy of the information returned (e.g., WHOIS query response) in the response to the availability check.
Whether the domain name was reported as previously registered or never before registered in the response returned from the availability check.
Copy of the information returned (e.g., WHOIS query response) indicating the name had been registered.
Copies of any correspondence sent to or received from the registrant perceived to be a front runner.
Correspondence with the registrar or availability checking service.
Any information indicating a potential relationship between the availability checking service and the registrant that grabbed the name.
Please submit incidents to the SSAC Fellow at SSAC-DNFR@ICANN.org.
Shameless plug for my photos on Flickr
All of a sudden Whois.net seems to be loading much more slowly. I wonder what could be happening!
" IMHO, bullshit."
Well... hang on and think about it for a second. In a perfect world if you look up a domain it remains available. But this is not a perfect world, we have ICANN instead.
My first reaction when reading TFA was "no way. they can't be".
But I see their point. With over a hundred registrars, many of them just squatters who want to get domains for the wholesale price of $6, it does appear ot be true that if you look up a domain at NSI you are still able to purchase it.
Compare this to some other registrar where if you look it up suddenly it's sold and now you have to buy it on the secondary market which will cost you way more that a regular domain. Lessor of two evils perhaps?
How long does it take to happen? I just looked up a long silly name at NSI and fifteen mninutes later it's still availalable. Anybody else notice this?
Need Mercedes parts ?
So what you're saying is that in addition to the bot that one guy made to autoquery these domains, we should also make bots to give them heavy traffic for the next few days?
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Drink deeply or not at all."
Hi my name is Shashi Bellamkonda and I work for Network Solutions. Aprreciate the opportunity to clarify. Here is a response on Circleid http://www.circleid.com/posts/81082_network_solutions_front_running/. Network Solutions is not front running. We've implemented a customer protection measure to help defend our customers against the actions of "front runners" or those persons who register domain names known to have been searched, for the purpose of monetizing them and then selling them at inflated prices either directly to the customer who searched for the domain or through aftermarket channels. The protection measure holds the searched domains at Network Solutions for up to 4 days so customers can take the time to decide whether registration of the domain name will help them build and protect their brand. Network Solutions is not registering these names at the end of the reservation period with the hope of selling them in the secondary market. Likewise, we're not placing any advertisements on these domains to monetize their traffic while they are in the reservation period.
Social Media Swami | Network Solutions | http://blog.networksolutions.com
Can you imagine the nightmare it's going to create with all those Trademark monitoring organizations out there like MarkMonitor? Can you imagine if you queried high-profile trademark domains such as: MicrosoftSunCiscoWalMartIBMFord.com and they "reserved" the names?
I just hit it and looks like they now own it.
Domain Name: MICROSOFTSUNCISCOWALMARTIBMFORD.COM
Registrar: NETWORK SOLUTIONS, LLC.
Whois Server: whois.networksolutions.com
Referral URL: http://www.networksolutions.com/
Name Server: NS1.RESERVEDDOMAINNAME.COM
Name Server: NS2.RESERVEDDOMAINNAME.COM
Status: ok
Updated Date: 08-jan-2008
Creation Date: 08-jan-2008
Expiration Date: 08-jan-2009
Since Network Solutions registered the domain, I'm sure its triggering a response to MarkMonitor's "clients". I'm sure MarkMonitor and the other TM moitoring sites are going crazy now.
It's more like: you walk into a store and see a jacket you like. You tell the clerk you are interested in that jacket and the clerk puts it behind the counter for you. You leave to check the price at a competitor's store, but by the time you get there the clerk has already called all the competing businesses and instructed them not to sell you that jacket, to which they agree.
So basically....don't use NSI for domain lookups. Use someone else. Maybe a company that won't try to screw you.
--
Not only that, they also put it on one of their parking "Domain Available!" pages too.
www.hitler-had-only-one-ball.com,
Tried on godaddy, showed up as open.
Same on NS, showed up as blank.
Went back to Godaddy, clicked it again, "DOMAIN TAKEN"
Whois shows it up as;
Domain Name: HITLER-HAD-ONLY-ONE-BALL.COM
Registrar: NETWORK SOLUTIONS, LLC.
Whois Server: whois.networksolutions.com
Referral URL: http://www.networksolutions.com/
Name Server: NS1.RESERVEDDOMAINNAME.COM
Name Server: NS2.RESERVEDDOMAINNAME.COM
Status: ok
Updated Date: 08-jan-2008
Creation Date: 08-jan-2008
Expiration Date: 08-jan-2009
Within seconds of having it hit.
As for the "domain tasting" drop after $n days, why not just 're-search' for it, after 3 days, so it stays registered until it costs them money?
Oh brother! Another wildcard DNS server (not even RFC compliant, it returns a CNAME for every query, with no glue and no SOA, even when asked explicitly). These domains are parked on ns1. and ns2.reserveddomainname.com. All a spammer needs to do is search NSI for a domain, and it begins to resolve and can be used to spam.
The following domains are installed on my anti-spam relays' caching nameservers as empty stub zones. It prevents my anti-spam relays from resolving any domains hosted on nameservers that live in these zones. It accounts for a very large percentage of blocked spam on my systems, and I recommend mail admins start blocking domains hosted on wildcard DNS servers. It's quick, easy, painless, and your content filter will thank you for easing its workload (if it could talk and had emotions, that is).
cheap-dns-host.com
domainservice.com
fastpark.net
namesdiscount24.net
name-services.com
names-service.com
parked.com
parkingsave.net
reserveddomainname.com
versans1.com
versans2.com
versans3.com
versans4.com
versans.com
Edith Keeler Must Die
I thought I'd try it out: http://www.payupnetworksolutions.com
I Just followed the link to uselessdomain0001.com. Check out the blue globe logo at the top.. now check out this CC licensed SVG image on Wikipedia: Applications-internet.svg. Looks like someone "accidentally" forgot to include the Creative Commons Share Alike license on that page.. hmmmm.
I think it's pretty obvious that NSI is just a scummy company, through and through.
P.S. If uselessdomain0001.com has changed by the time you read this, just check out uselessdomain0002.com or any other similarly tasted domain.
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