[67808] in North American Network Operators' Group
Re: [IP] VeriSign prepares to relaunch "Site Finder" -- calls
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Randall Pigott)
Mon Feb 23 10:59:17 2004
Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2004 10:58:39 -0500
To: Gregory Hicks <ghicks@cadence.com>
From: Randall Pigott <nanog@riva.net>
Cc: nanog@merit.edu
In-Reply-To: <200402092311.i19NBPEV001421@metis.cadence.com>
Errors-To: owner-nanog-outgoing@merit.edu
I am curious what the operational impact would be to network operators if,=
=20
instead of Verisign using SiteFinder over all com and net, Verisign or=20
their technology partner for SiteFinder began coercing a large number of=20
independent ISPs and network operators to install their form of DNS=20
redirection at the ISP-level, until all or most of the end-users out there=
=20
were getting redirected.
We have been approached by a guy named Mark Lewyn, president Paxfire, Inc.,=
=20
the company he claims created the SiteFinder technology and offerred it to=
=20
Verisign. Based here in the Washington DC area, he now also wants=20
individual ISPs to implement his technology of redirection to a web page=20
for unknown domains as a means of earning click-through revenue, and will=20
split the take 50/50 "when Paxfire gets paid"
As a network operator of a fair-sized regional ISP, as well as operators of=
=20
arguably the least-expensive nationwide wholesale dial platform for other=20
ISPs to gain nationwide access, we have been approached by Mr. Lewyn on=20
behalf of his company Paxfire Inc. He wants our company to come have=20
meetings at his law firm's offices, consider accepting and implementing his=
=20
technology at our local DNS server level, and then supposedly share in the=
=20
rich profits when customers get redirected, possibly to web pages featuring=
=20
click-through banner ads. He says that this is the exact same techology=20
(more accurately, he said that it was evolved one step further, I think)=20
that he sold or licensed to Verisign and that Verisign refers to as=
SiteFinder.
Until now, the identity of the technology and marketing partner who created=
=20
SiteFinder has been kept very confidential, so I was surprised to learn=20
that Mr. Lewyn's company Paxfire Inc. was indeed that partner!
Further, he claims that Vint Cert himself thinks it is a great idea at the=
=20
ISP level to do this, and is one of his advisory board supporters.
Naturally, with the fracas of last Sept 2003, we are hesitant to give up=20
any negative caching, essential anti-spam techniques, and suffer other=20
disruptions that such a redirection service may generate within our=20
networks whenever a non-existent domain request results in a redirection.
Is there concern to be raised by network operators over such schemes if=20
deployed at the individual ISP level, particularly if such technology=20
becomes widespread?
Before considering meeting with these guys, we would like to solicit the=20
opinions of this list to be better equipped to say "no" if indeed "no" is=20
the right operational and technological decision for the integrity of our=20
nationwide networks and our interconnection outwards to the rest of the=20
world's networks.
Thanks most sincerely,
Randall Pigott
At 06:11 PM 2/9/2004, you wrote:
> From Dave Farber's IP list...
>
> ---------------------------
>
>
>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25819-2004Feb9_2.html
>
>VeriSign Reconsiders Search Service
>
>"Site Finder was not controversial with users, 84 percent of whom said
>they liked it as a helpful navigation service," said Tom Galvin,
>VeriSign's vice president of government relations. "We continue to look
>at ways we can offer the service while addressing the concerns that
>were raised by a segment of the technical community."
>
>Galvin said that the continued opposition stems from "an ideological
>belief by a narrow section of the technological community who don't
>believe you should innovate the core infrastructure of the Internet."
>
>Critics also claim that VeriSign must run the domains as a public
>trust, not a profit-making opportunity. VeriSign is the sole operator
>of the dot-com and dot-net registries under a contract with ICANN.
>
>"I don't begrudge them their profit, but someone in an effectively
>regulated monopoly position shouldn't use their power for their own
>profit, beyond the terms under which the community gave it to them,"
>said Steven Bellovin, co-director of the Internet Engineering Task
>Force's Security Area.
>
>Paul Rothstein a law professor at Georgetown University and a paid
>VeriSign consultant, said that the critics have some legitimate
>objections but others are motivated by the scientific and technology
>communities' "bias on policy."
>
>Still, he added, it would be tough for VeriSign to win the public
>relations war because its opponents are highly regarded technologists.
>
>ICANN will reserve judgment until VeriSign decides to relaunch Site
>Finder, said General Counsel John Jeffrey. VeriSign assured ICANN that
>it would give 60 to 90 days' warning to resolve any remaining
>technological problems, Jeffrey said.
>
>In the meantime, ICANN is waiting for a final report on Site Finder
>from its Security and Stability Advisory Committee. Committee Chairman
>Steve Crocker said he doubts that Site Finder can be changed enough
>that it won't threaten the Internet's underlying infrastructure.
>
>"I thought people were relieved that they took it down and it's hard to
>believe that there would be any quietness if they brought it back,"
>Crocker said.
>
><SNIP>
>
>_____Related Coverage_____
>=95
><http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles//wp-dyn/articles/A57670-2003=
Oct7.html>
>VeriSign Service Spawns More Criticism
>(washingtonpost.com, Oct 7, 2003)
>
><http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles//wp-dyn/articles/A42107-2003=
Oct3.html>
>VeriSign Agrees To Shut Down Search Service
>(The Washington Post, Oct 4, 2003)
>=95
><http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles//wp-dyn/articles/A64437-2003=
Sep25.html>
>With Site Finder, VeriSign Sparks Internet-wide Criticism
>(washingtonpost.com, Sep 25, 2003)
>
>_____ICANN Headlines_____
>
><http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles//wp-dyn/articles/A13538-2004=
Feb4.html>
>Congress Eyes Internet Fraud Crackdown
>(washingtonpost.com, Feb 4, 2004)
>
><http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles//wp-dyn/articles/A23641-2004=
Jan16.html>
>XO Owner Again Bids For Telecom
>(The Washington Post, Jan 17, 2004)
>
><http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles//wp-dyn/articles/A47327-2003=
Dec8.html>
>U.N. Sets Aside Debate Over Control of Internet
>(The Washington Post,Dec 9, 2003)
>
><http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/technology/techpolicy>
>Tech Policy Section
>
>-------------------------------------
>
>Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
>
>
>------------- End Forwarded Message -------------
>
>
>-------------------------------------------------------------------
>Gregory Hicks | Principal Systems Engineer
>Cadence Design Systems | Direct: 408.576.3609
>555 River Oaks Pkwy M/S 6B1 | Fax: 408.894.3400
>San Jose, CA 95134 | Internet: ghicks@cadence.com
>
>"The trouble with doing anything right the first time is that nobody
>appreciates how difficult it was."
>
>When a team of dedicated individuals makes a commitment to act as
>one... the sky's the limit.
>
>Just because "We've always done it that way" is not necessarily a good
>reason to continue to do so... Grace Hopper, Rear Admiral, United
>States Navy
