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Icann to investigate VeriSign's wildcard service
1 October 2003
VeriSign's Site Finder has come under further scrutiny from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann).
Icann's Security and Stability Advisory Committee is calling for public comments and reports on Site Finder and has scheduled a "fact-gathering meeting" for 7 October.
The committee will issue a report on the effects of Site Finder on the stability of the internet.
VeriSign controls the main database of .com and .net domain names. Earlier this month the company added a "wildcard" to the databases, sending web users who enter a non-existent .com or .net address to Site Finder, a service which offers web links and paid advertisements.
Site Finder has drawn a storm of criticism from both technical and commercial fronts.
At least two competing internet companies have sued VeriSign, charging unfair competition. Some antispam filters failed and uproar among network administrators prompted the Internet Software Consortium (ISC) to update its DNS (Domain Name System) software so that Site Finder can be blocked. Internet service providers are said to have made changes to their networks to bypass the VeriSign service.
More details at: http://www.computerweekly.com/articles/article.asp?liArticleID=125320&liFlavourID=1&sp=1
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