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Riskiest Web Domains To Visit

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the shocking-that-the-biggest-is-the-worst dept.

wiredmikey writes "According to a report released today, .COM is the riskiest top-level domain, the riskiest country domain is Vietnam (.VN). Japan's .JP ranks as the safest country domain for the second year in a row and TRAVEL as the safest overall domain. It's interesting to note that .JP (currently $89.99 at GoDaddy) and .TRAVEL ($89.99 at Moniker) domains are also some of the most expensive domains. Are cybercriminals getting cheap with other people's credit cards? Or do the higher price make it more risky?"

1 of 106 comments (clear)

  1. Spammers use throwaway domains by mysidia · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It is more expensive to register domains on a "premium" TLD. Since fewer domains are registered on the TLDs, there will be fewer used by spammers.

    Because people black list domains used by spammers; URI-based blacklists, and RHS blacklists that blacklist by domain name. Spam filters start to recognize them, in any case.

    So spammers register thousands of domains at the cheapest prices available (probably using stolen cards or multiple shell companies)

    .NET and .COM are probably the cheapest TLDs to register throwaway domains on.

    It follows, that spam might be reduced, with greater costs or qualifications to register a domain.

    I for one would be in favor of a "paper" requirement.

    ICANN should require that every domain have a primary 'contact address' verified by the registrar that is listed in public WHOIS.

    ICANN should require registrars to verify BY PAPER certified+restricted mail to each new primary contact address, which must be an address in a country the registrar does business in, and may not be a PO Box or forwarded address.

    The registrant should be required to SIGN a document mailed, and send it back, before the domain can be placed in the zone. And the signature must match the signature on the mail slip.

    The slip signed must include a statement agreeing to the ICANN policies, and certifying that the signer is the principal, and the address provided belongs to the principal who owns the domain, and not a proxy, agent, or designee.

    And from then on, that 'contact information' can be used by the owner of THAT account to designate as the org contact for domains registered or transferred. Using a different contact for a domain, requiring going through verification again.

    For a minor inconvenience, spammers could be stopped.