bugtraq - Verisign's Sitefinder and use of the namespace

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Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2003 12:19:51 -0500
From: "Jeffrey Gorton" <jpgorton@...ell.net>
To: "BUGTRAQ@...URITYFOCUS. COM" <BUGTRAQ@...URITYFOCUS.COM>
Cc: <secsac-comment@...nn.org>
Subject: Verisign's Sitefinder and use of the namespace

In the U.S., the radio spectrum is considered a public resource owned by the
people.  The government administers and regulates the use of the radio
spectrum in the public interest.  I am wondering if the Internet namespace
cannot be considered in the same vein.
Has Verisign usurped a public resource with the Sitefinder service?  In my
opinion, it has.

The Internet domain namespace is a public resource.  It's existence and use
is for the benefit of the Internet community.  By implementing a wildcard
service to its own gain, Verisign is profiting from the use of this public
resource without compensation or consent of the owners of that resource, the
Internet community.

One of the reasons behind the privatization of the DNS architecture was that
"the decision to add new top-level domains cannot be made on an ad hoc basis
by entities or individuals that are not formally accountable to the Internet
community."  (See http://www.icann.org/general/white-paper-05jun98.htm.)
Verisign has taken an ad hoc action and does not seem to be responsive to
the Internet community in response to that action.

ICANN is seeking comments on Verisign's action at www.icann.org.

-Jeffrey Gorton, CISSP MCSE CCSE IAM
jpgorton@...ell.net