VeriSign Draws Heat

VeriSign's decision to alter the domain name database to boost its advertising revenue has drawn the wrath of network operators, who say the change makes it much harder to filter Spam and trouble-shoot network problems. Some critics say VeriSign's strategy - in which it redirects any errant URL request to a VeriSign search page bearing keyword-based advertising - is in effect allowing it to assert control over every unregistered domain in the .com and .net universe.

VeriSign's policy was initially discussed as an advertising play in stories in Computer Business Review, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal (subscription). The concept is similar to efforts by Microsoft and AOL, which configure their web browsers' default settings to redirect bad URLs to custom search pages.

But instead of changing software on a users' desktop, VeriSign's DNS-based approach changes the Internet itself. All misspelled URLs that used to return an error message now return a working web page - which is where the problems begin for network administrators.

An example is Spam control. Since Spammers use phony return addresses, many ISPs filter and delete any e-mail that originates from a non-working domain. Now all those domains "work" - if only to serve ads for Verisign. Without a technical workaround, all that Spam with forged return addresses could now sneak through the filters.

Network operators are indeed developing workarounds. But the level of frustration and anger with VeriSign is growing, and efforts to challenge the policy with ICANN may follow. One Slashdot user noted that some trademarked business names are not registered as .com domains, suggesting that VeriSign could be infringing trademarks if it uses those URLs to generate revenue for itself.

VeriSign has prepared a white paper (PDF) articulating its policy. For more reaction and opinion, check out threads on Slashdot and the NANOG list. There's also news coverage by AP.