O'Reilly Network

Verisign Re-routing URL Typos to Itself in Ad Play
Sep. 16, 2003
Permalink

Source: The Inquirer
Story Link: http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=11569
   Print.Print
Email.Email news link
Discuss.Discuss

VeriSign, the domain registrar and root DNS provider, made changes yesterday to a fundamental way the internet is set up to work. They've done so in a play to attract ad revenue. The change's effect makes all URL typos redirect to a webpage owned by VeriSign on which the company is selling advertising. Trouble shooting difficulties abound for system administrators as people will no longer received helpful error messages, but a face full of advertising. Some (1, 2, 3 ) are calling on ISPs to block the IP address of the offending company altogether for such a breach.

Return to news.oreillynet.com.



}