[ISN] Domain transfer rules are a cyber squatter charter

[InfoSec News]

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=19579

By Nick Farrell
10 November 2004

SECURITY AND network services outfit Netcraft has warned that the new 
rules for domain transfers that will come into effect on Friday, are a 
cyber squatter's charter.

Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), has 
changed the rules so that requests for transferring a domain will be 
automatically approved in five days unless they are denied by the 
owner of the domain.

The current rule is that domain and the nameservers names are kept 
even if a request for a transfer evokes no response.

The problem is that if you the contact addresses given in the records 
are incorrect then a request for transfer would go to a wrong address 
and after five days of no response, the transfer would become 
effective. A Netcraft spokesman said that the new domain rules would 
make it far easier for cybersquatters to take over sites. It said some 
prominent domains which had lapsed without being renewed included The 
Washingon Post and the Gawker weblog. 

More famously PR outfit Ogilvy Mather, which looks after our friends 
in IBM, forgot to register their www.oglivy.co.uk address this week 
and found that the site had been hijaked by viral marketers ASABAILEY.

ASABAILEY took control of the domain and promptly uploaded a picture 
of what appear to be dead feet, to make a point about brand 
protection.

The image states: "If you understood the modern brand, you'd 
understand how to protect it." 

ICANN said it is anticipating more disputes as it has appointed staff 
to manage its domain dispute resolution policy.