New gTLDs: IDN Homographic Attacks

I already wrote about the increasing problem of IDN homograph attacks and made a parallel with .BRAND new gTLDs; but this is a "must watch" interview with ICANN’s Andrew McConachie, Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC) Chair and Rod Rasmussen discussing the use of Internationalized Domain Name (IDN) homographic attacks.

This problem is not a new one, but the number of these attacks...is increasing with new gTLDs. Banks and other sensitive businesses can considerably reduce the risk of these attacks when operating their own domain name extension: not because they will be able to better control the Top-Level Domain, but just because they will be able to control who registers domain names.

New gTLDs: homograph attacks on the rise?

The problem with homograph attacks is that the more we talk about them, the mode it gives ideas to frauders.

Note that it is also - and I believe this strongly - a super fantastic way for security providers to scare their clients reminding them to buy their services because if they don't, the world will collapse ;-)

Last May, I wrote (in a very limited english that only non-english speakers can understand) a post about it to explain what an homograph attack is.

This morning, I read a new updated post, written in words that even I understand: it is entitled "Homographs, Attack!": it explains homograph attacks in simple words with cool designs. This is a good read and this is something that operators of large domain name portfolios should read too.

IDN homograph attacks and Branding

Which trademark/branding service provider is going to invent a product which includes to:

1. Find a memorable name;
2. Find the same domain name including:
1. The ".com" domain name;
2. The "industry related" corresponding new domain name (ie: ".forex" for Forex related businesses);
3. Which includes characters free from IDN homograph attacks;
4. SSL certificate.

The article with link above says that the problem is solved thank to browsers and SSL certificates but, will end-users double check if a domain name is true or not? I doubt it.

What about IDN new gTLDs for Companies?

I do not focus on IDNs because I don't understand them but I recently read this post from Coreile, on the Chinese domain name market: the place to be for any Registry.
If we are already familiar with the .商标 new gTLD, which stands for "trademark" in Chinese*, we are not yet familiar with other IDN new gTLDs related to COMPANIES.
The post mentions three IDN new gTLDs which could have an impact on companies who would forget to secure their domain names in these IDN extensions. The IDNs are:

1. .公司 (company);
2. .世界 (world);
3. .集团 (corporate group).

The 3 extensions were added to out COMPANY new gTLD report, which is sent each Tuesday in our Newsletter.

New domain name registration volumes:

• New gTLDs related to REAL ESTATE;
• New gTLDs related to ALCOHOL;
• New gTLDs related to SPORT;
• New gTLDs related to the LAW (yesterday's report);
• New gTLDs related to FINANCE (yesterday's report);
• New gTLDs related to COLORS (yesterday's report).

Tonight's Newsletter:
To subscribe and receive the latest NEWS in your email, click here.

In our two previous Newsletters:

1. .Shop gets to 51,755 domains just hours after GA;
2. HOT - New TLD Market Brief – September 2016;
3. .LTD domain names may be limited in use but growth is steady;
4. .Sucks Domain Name in Ad Age Magazine;
5. HOT - Active Brand TLDs;
6. “UDRP-proof” .feedback gTLD loses first UDRP;
7. Sunrise Period for .网站 (web) starts on Monday, 26 September;
8. Overcharged .UK customers help pay for .VODKA;
9. Your trusted source for .NEWS;
10. 5 reasons to Try a New Domain for Your Brand;
11. Bird & Bird wins landmark first UDRP decision against a ".feedback" gTLD;
12. Is there anything good about the release of hundreds of new extensions?
13. The domain Home.nyc was registered for $30 because of a glitch;
14. Silicon NYC kickoff features .NYC domain names;
15. 50+ businesses dumped their .com for a new domain - or did they?
16. Reminder (.BRANDs): Specification 13 granted;
17. How Companies like Amazon, eBay, Porsche and GoDadddy are using some of their new gTLDs;
18. .CLOUD has a TV commercial on CNN, too.

* I wonder if someone will consider applying for the ".TRADEMARK" new gTLD in the second round of the ICANN new gTLD program.

Previous Campaigns can be viewed here.

Most recent Trademark Clearinghouse Sunrise Period announcements

Just announced: the .网站 Sunrise Period

The .网站 (.web) new generic Top-Level Domain was announced today by the Trademark Clearinghouse and will launch next week. The Sunrise Period will start on Monday, 26 September, 2016. For those who will be registering their .WEB new domain name in its ASCII version, it can make sense to secure the IDN version of this TLD.
To participate in the next .网站 WEBINAR participants are welcome to register here.

New domain name registration volumes:

• New gTLDs related to COMPANIES;
  (newsletter only)
• New gTLDs related to the LAW;
• New gTLDs related to FINANCE;
• New gTLDs related to COLORS.

Tonight's Newsletter:
To subscribe and receive the latest NEWS in your email, click here.

In our previous Newsletter:

1. Usage statistics of CITY new TLDs: comparison of the usage of .TOKYO (City of Tokyo, Japan) vs. .LONDON (City of London, UK) vs. .NYC (City of New York, USA) vs. .MOSCOW (City of Moscow, Russia) vs. .PARIS (City of Paris, France) for websites;
2. Podacast - How GMO plans to make its big investment in .SHOP pay off;
3. This is the Domain Name Industry Brief by Verisign;
4. .BLOG gets 600 applications halfway through sunrise;
5. Video - Demystifying the Value of .VIP in China;
6. Deleting Its 230,000 Uniregistry Domains;
7. Top 5 New Extensions in 10 Years: yesterday evening on Twitter, .CLUB CEO and co-founder Colin Campbell made a prediction about the “top” 5 new domain extensions in ten years. Here’s what he posted and what his predictions are;
8. Latest stats on the new extensions;
9. UPDATED - Sport Federations: Paid to Promote Their Clubs (selling new domains)?
10. A September To Remember (And It’s Not Over Yet!)
11. Are New gTLDs Dead? Frank Schilling Says “Far From It";
12. Most of the growth is due to new gTLDs;
13. JOB - Domain Portfolio and Risk Control Program Manager.

Previous Campaigns can be viewed here.

Most recent Trademark Clearinghouse Sunrise Period announcements

The new gTLD info for Tuesday, May 17th

Today the info is the Canon .BRAND new gTLD which is introducing a new URL for Canon’s global site: global.canon. When I read this, I tell myself: "finally, here we are" since Canon was the first Trademark to reveal its .BRAND new gTLD project in 2010. By he way, did you know that there is a .GLOBAL new gTLD too? When doing such an announcement, better check for your Trademark in the extension of your second level domain. Please, don't have a look at canon.global. Did you know that there is a .NIKON new gTLD too?
Another information: the .GDN new gTLD has more French Accredited Registrar to join soon: check the growing list here.

1. .BRANDs - the .CANON new gTLD moves to domains ending in ".canon";
2. The weekly French new gTLD report by Nameshield;
3. Case studies - 3 more new gTLDs case studies published by the ICANN;
4. China’s Internet Domain Name Measures & the Digital Economy;
5. Sunrises ending soon: the .MOTORCYCLES and .STORE new gTLDs (5 June, 2016);
6. The IDN of ".com" and ".net" to launch in Korea (.닷컴 and .닷넷 new gTLDs);
7. HOT - New gTLDs related to Companies (report);
   (just added to the report: the .商标 (".trademark" new gTLd in Chinese)
8. New gTLDs related to the Law (report);
9. New gTLDs related to Finance (report);
10. Coming next week: new gTLDs related to Colors;
11. The .VIP new gTLD enters general availability;
12. Interesting posts on use of ".brand" domain names: why pay so much for so few personalized domain names?
13. In French: l"influence des nouvelles extensions sur le SEO";
14. Premium Names - 72,000 names generate $9 million in annual recurring revenue;
15. More coming during the day.

The Nameshield Group: Registry, Corporate and Retail Registrar

Most recent Trademark Clearinghouse Sunrise Period announcements

Slides of the last TMCH and IDNs webinar can be downloaded

Yesterday took place the latest ICANN Webinar on the Trademark Clearinghouse & Internationalized Domain Names.

I personnaly could not understand anything to what was said due to a very poor sound.

Here is yesterday's Agenda:

• Introduction;
• Basic review of TMCH function;
• TM verification process with focus on IDNs;
• Sunrise and Claims processes;
• Status of IDN projects at ICANN;
• Any other topics / Q&A.

A few nice things I read in these slides:

• "Trademark Name, Detailed description of goods and services, Name and address of the Holder should be submitted in the language as provided on the TM certificate";
• "New gTLD registries are required to offer a Sunrise period of at least 30 days".

Something I have serious doubts about:

• "Reasons that initiate a re-correction process: address of the holder is incorrect and no documentery evidence has been provided".

Something I hate reading:

• "Project 7: Updating the gTLD Applicant Guidebook and IDN ccTLD Process to incorporate the Label Generation Rules in the respective evaluation processes and account for recommendations from the Report on User Experience Implications of Active Variant TLDs study".

Slides are available for download (PDF document) here.

A Chinese IDN for "Public interest" (new gTLD)

The China Organizational Name Administration Center (CONAC) applies for the IDN gTLD string."公益”.

"公益" means “public interest”.

More here.

A Chinese IDN for "Government and government affairs"

The China Organizational Name Administration Center (CONAC) applies for the IDN gTLD string ".政务.

".政务" means “government and government affairs”. The language of the label in English is “Chinese” [Native Name:中文 (Zhōngwén), 汉语,漢語], as referenced by ISO-639-1, the language of the label is “zh”.

More here.

.DIFFICULT new gTLD (IDN)

Yes...according to this web site, there seem to be an applicant a project for an IDN for a .DIFFICULT generic Top-Level Domain as an IDN.

Can we expect a www.icann.困难 coming ?

Source: http://internetregistry.info

Nb: I am not quite sure about what the other IDN mean, it could be "hello" or "help". Maybe this is another Easter egg.

.SRB Top-Level Domain

Prior to reading this, note the .SRB is not a new generic Top-Level Domains. It is a country code Top-Level Domain (or ccTLD). It also is an IDN (Internationalized Domain Name).

I am adding it to this blog because it is a 3 characters Top-Level Domain and may interest a company or a brand interested in launching its own .SRB Top-Level Domain.

A list is avaialble here

.SRB domain registration begins TODAY.

More here.

TLD list updated with IDNs

Registries.tel is a list I maintain with Top-Level Domains projects. Many listings do exist but none are up to date. I mean here many projects were announced but part of them now have their web site down or the domain name is just cyber-squatted.

The Internationalized Domain Names were missing to my list so you will find the link to the official list of Internationalized Domain Names ccTLD fast track string evaluation completion here : idn.registries.tel

Note this list is maintained by ICANN with primary string requested, country of request and contact details of requester.

.中国 - .香港 and .台灣 approved by ICANN

ICANN approved yesterday .中国 for China, .香港 for Hong Kong and .台灣 for Taiwan as a province of China.

Non-Latin top level domains ?

What is it all about ?

Read the explanation with examples in French here

Note these new projects are not listed in Registries.tel since they are considered as IDNs (IDN stands for "Internationalised Domain Names" according to Internet Assigned Numbers Authority).

“.Hanguk” in Korean characters

The KCC (Korea Communications Commission) wants to launch a new domain name extension using the its own alphabet.

Read the official announcement here

مصر (Egypt) , السعودية (AlSaudiah) and امارات (Emarat) are in the root

For the first time in the history of the Internet, non-Latin characters are being used for top-level domains.

Read the announcement at ICANN

.lanka and .ilangei Top Level Domains projects

Sri Lanka agreed on the two top level domain names to go through through a public consultative process.

More information here

.香港 Top Level Domain (Hong-Kong)

.香港' domain name registrations will be offered for free to all .hk registrants in the second half of 2010

More here : https://www1.hkirc.hk/company_info/pressrelease.jsp?item=193

.emarat / .امارات Top Level Domain

"Our goal is to become the first Arab country to introduce an Arabic domain name".

Official press release can be read here

.emarat (.امارات) is expected in the Q2 2010.