A problem with ICANN's application software has delayed the "big reveal" of new domain names for two weeks. What the organization calls a "glitch" allowed some domain applicants to see the data of others – not exactly inspiring confidence in ICANN's ability to bring potentially hundreds of new names online.
For those who are interested, here is the latest update:
TAS Interruption - Update (17 April 2012)
Statement by Akram Atallah, COO
17 April 2012
ICANN's review of the technical glitch that resulted in the TLD
application system being taken offline indicates that the issue stems
from a problem in the way the system handled interrupted deletions of
file attachments. This resulted in some applicants being able to see
some other applicants' file names and user names.
As reported yesterday, we are seeking confirmation that the solution we
have implemented for this issue is effective.
We are also conducting research to determine which applicants' file
names and user names were potentially viewable, as well as which
applicants had the ability to see them.
Many organizations are seeking information on whether we will proceed
with the planned publication of applied-for domain names on 30 April. We
will update the target date for publication as part of our update on the
timing of the reopening, no later than Friday, 20 April at 23.59 UTC.
I have not heard or read anything official beyond the characterization "technical issue" or glitch. I am aware of some speculation probably best not repeated, though not particularly exciting.
As far as competitive issues go, some gTLDs are hotly sought after by potential operators -- for instance, here's Constantine Roussos' case for .music [http://www.musicmusic.com/articles/why-the-music-industry-needs-a-music-official-website-domain-name-all-artists-bands-and-musicians-are-music-brands-in-need-of-a-home.html]. Their strategic cases for why their applications should be approved over their competitors,' could be an intellectual property matter or touch a variety of other areas. I guess it could be likened to the RFP process -- if you promise sealed bidding, your potential contractors would probably be delighted to read their competitors' bids, but not happy to surrender the details of their own.
Beau, thanks for the update. Is that what you suspect, that the "glitch" happened because the process was rushed? No this doesn't inspire confidence at all. Also, glitch is rather vague. I am very curious about what actually happened here.
I guess I am not surprised that ICANN turns out not to have secure systems, but I wonder what kind of competitive advantage anyone could get from looking at applications by other parties? I should have thought the application process could be public and transparent without putting anyone at a disadvantage?
The TLD application system, or TAS, was taken offline on Thursday, 12 April due to a technical issue.
We believe that we have fixed the glitch, and we are testing it to make sure.
ICANN is committed to reopening the application system as soon as we can confirm that the problem has been resolved and we have had proper time for testing.
We also want to inform all applicants, before we reopen, whether they have been affected by the glitch. We are still gathering information so we can do that.
Accordingly, the application system will not reopen tomorrow.
We will provide an update on the timing of the reopening no later than Friday, 20 April at 23.59 UTC.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Something of an update on this story since I shot the video last week. There was a buzz among the community yesterday that the unveiling of the list of new top-level domain applicants (which some are calling, perhaps with some wishful thinking, the "big reveal,") would in fact not be delayed by this technical glitch in the application system.
However, the latest official word doesn't say anything about that -- see the letter I posted above. This is the organization that is supposed to manage the Internet's domain name system. Shouldn't it be expected to get its application front-end working the first time around, right? Did somebody rush this process a little too fast? Again I ask: Does this inspire confidence in the future security of the Internet?
It wouldn't be the first time, but a group of Chinese engineers has proposed a means by which the Internet's root could be split, enabling secondary, independent networks that could be government-controlled. The Internet's root security committee is taking such proposals seriously.
ICANN is now offering refunds to new applicants for its top-level domain initiative, 10 years in the making, because the application system was taken offline due to a "glitch." ICANN has collected over $350 million in application fees, but we don't know what that number might be after refunds. Is this any way to run the Domain Name System?
Blackhole 1.2.3, the latest version of the most popular black-market exploit kit, apparently has already been used by Brazilian fraudsters to try to perpetrate a scam. The new kit, released at the end of March, can bypass sandboxes in Java, and the Brazilians used it to try to convince accountants they were about to lose licenses.
US counterterrorism expert Richard Clarke, who came to prominence with his prescient warnings before the 9/11 attacks, tells Smithsonian Magazine the US was responsible for the Stuxnet supersmart worm that attacked parts of nuclear reactors in Iran – and in the process, has given away one of the world's most sophisticated cyberweapons.
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As ICANN's former board chairman grabs a plum job with a domain seller, we're left to wonder just how many new registrations are "defensive," claimed by companies worried about protecting their brands.
The board of ICANN, the international non-profit that administers the domain name system, announced CEO Rod Beckstrom would be leaving at the end of his term next summer. It's time for consumers and business to tell the organization what kind of person they want to lead it – and what priorities to set.
Free wireless is like tap water in Europe and Asia. Why is the US so far behind? Because of a near-religious commitment to non-government interference in markets, America lacks basic wireless infrastructure and will pay the price competitively.
Only a few new domain name applications have been given the go-ahead, so be wary of offers for "pre-registration" of the .suffix of your choice. Most likely, the registrars making such offers don't have the authority.
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The whole Amazon.reader debate is a double-stupid. It's stupid to think that there's any e-book buyer who doesn't know Amazon's URL, and it was stupider to let ICANN launch the whole free-form TLD initiative to start with.
Edmunds separates customers into segments based on the info it collects on its site and from partners, and uses that to push out custom content, said Brian Baron, director of business analytics for Edmunds.com, at Predictive Analytics Innovation Summit.
The automotive website uses propensity modeling to target ads and customer registration forms, said Brian Baron, director of business analytics for Edmunds.com, at Predictive Analytics Innovation Summit.
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Facebook's Graph Search may face some profound challenges and risks, first, because Facebook users haven't been thinking of their posts as product reviews; and second, because Facebook will now have to contend with the social-network equivalent of SEO "gaming" of results.
Companies need to take advantage of new technologies to simplify interfaces, improve capabilities, and enhance back-office processes. But they can't upgrade their Websites too often.
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