How to Safely Register a Domain Name without Front Running
The web and its domains can be a very profitable place. So profitable, in fact, that some less than scrupulous people with brains have figured out a way to tap into the whois databases to see which domain names are being searched. What happens then? If you do a search for a potential domain name for your future website, and don’t register it immediately, it can be snatched out from under you within minutes.
This activity was first reported on The Daily Domainer in October, with pretty full details of what to do and not to do. Apparently the Network Solutions database is the one that’s been tapped into, according to comments on that post.
ICANN, without admitting there actually IS a problem, is looking into it, and asking for public comment from both registrars and registrants who have had issues and suspect this activity is going on. Here’s the report on ICANN security in pdf form.
Ars Technica has this to say about Domain Front Running and ICANN’s reaction to it:
ICANN’s Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC) likens the practice to stock and commodity front running . . . While the practice is illegal when it comes to stocks and commodities, it is much more cloudy when it comes to domain names. ICANN recognizes the lack of regulation covering this area and makes it clear that a stronger set of standards needs to be established. “ICANN’s Registrar Accreditation Agreement and Registry Agreements do not expressly prohibit registrars and registries from monitoring and collecting WHOIS query of domain name availability query data and either selling this information or using it directly,” writes the SSAC. “In the absence of an explicit prohibition, registrars might conclude that monitoring availability checks is appropriate behavior.”
Even worse, Verisign, one of the major root name server operators, has made noise about offering lookup data for sale. It’s bad enough it can be done at the ISP level, but doing it from aggregate nameserver level could be devastating to anyone who wishes to register a domain name. None of us wants to pay $1000 or more to a “scalper” for something we should be able to register for under ten bucks. The integrity of the system should be a given, and the deal with the devil that is Verisign made by ICANN a year or so ago is going to bring everyone headaches.
So, how do you safely search and register a domain name? First of all, don’t use the browser location bar to search domain names since that information, in the form of unsuccessful DNS queries, is collected by the ISPs and the sale of that information, to domain speculation companies, is a profit base for them.
Secondly, don’t use Network Solutions, at least not until they’ve been declared clean. Interestingly enough, Jon Nevett, Vice President of Policy at Network Solutions, made a comment on the CircleID blog that admits there’s a problem, so much as I’m not crazy about them based on my own experiences with them, I don’t think they’re intentionally dirty, but are instead dealing with being hacked. There are some other suspect registrars, with GoDaddy being a name that has come up more than once when this subject of Domain Front Running comes up. Personally, their domain name auction and “reservation” activity (reserving a domain name that is about to expire, at a huge markup) would make them suspect to me. It all just smacks of conflict of interest, but that’s admittedly my opinion. There are other registrars which have been mentioned as problematical.
Third, use a reputable registrar. This may still not be enough to save your domain name, but it can help, since they wish to keep that good rep by keeping their security high. Make sure you’re logged into their secure area when searching.
Fourth, when you find a domain name you like that’s available, have your credit card at hand and REGISTER IT IMMEDIATELY. My registrar allows me to deposit funds prior to purchase so I don’t have to wait for a credit card transaction to be approved in order for the registration to go through, which saves time and possibly saves the domain name, and so far (knock on wood) I haven’t had a problem. I usually have at least one domain name’s worth of funds in there at any one time, in case inspiration strikes.
Fifth, though there are occasions when you’re going to be beat out of a domain name legitimately, it won’t hurt to report any suspect instance to the World International Property Organization, who is trying to aggregate data on possible instances of Domain Name Front Running. So if you do lose a domain name in the minute or two between the search and the processing of the transaction, please do report it. If certain domain owners keep showing up again and again in this regard, then WIPO will have some evidence with which to approach ICANN. I would also suggest dropping a comment to ICANN if this happens. Include as much information as possible when communcating with WIPO and ICANN- When lookup was accomplished and through who, who ended up with the domain, and any communication with the subsequent domain owner.
Technorati Tags: Domain Name Front Running, Domain Squatting, ICANN, Network Solutions, WIPO
March 24th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Is there a trustworthy registrar with whom to do business with?
March 24th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
I’ve been using http://namecheap.com and they’ve been great. They’ve got a good rep on the web, though I hear from the bulk domainers that they’re not set up nor priced for that type of business. You can “deposit” your dough for a domain name prior to doing your search, so that it goes through instantaneously without having to wait for payment processing, which gives less chance to the frontrunners. I’ve only got a portfolio of 35 or so, and find Namecheap’s interface to be very easy and intuitive to navigate, MUCH EASIER than others I’ve used in the past (ie web.com, aplus.net and godaddy.com.) Namecheap is on the lower end of the spectrum on pricing, though not quite the lowest.
April 4th, 2008 at 1:38 am
Yes, It is true. domain ideas are sold , i know from my search. Once i searched domains like ab - - -.com , bc- - - .com like that i found only two domains ” zq - - -.com & qm - - -.com. as i generated these with a keyword tumbler from “676 combinations” the very next day i found it is registered by some one else. On laziness and as g—–y has its bulk search for 500 domains at a single time, i did this. and from the very next time i became careful in search. i dont search unless i am ready to register
I wish all my friends to be serious and dont let others to grab their work on several hours of domain research and domain ideas.
Register at once when you find a good name [in some cases you loose your domain idea with in few minutes if you check at multiple places for their availability. So dont check at multiple places for their availability ]
Our searches are not secure, that is the truth, We are not in a position to fully trust any registrar. The only option is check , register with in few minutes - this is the only possibility.
Best Regards