HOEI

MakeUseOf.com Domain Hijacking from GoDaddy

TheOzz — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:31:10 +0000

The MakeUseOf.com domain seems to have been hijacked over the weekend. The guys over at MakeUseOf.com have set up shop temporarily on a Blogger platform at makeuseof-temporary.blogspot.com. The hosting company (GoDaddy.com) released the domain to someone who was impersonating the owner of the domain. Here is what Mark from MakeUseOf.com had to say:

“Now it turns out that in order to transfer the domain, Ferank (or someone helping him) called up GoDaddy and impersonated Aibek. At that point he had already access to our account (or at least had enough information to recover the username/pass for the account) and basically said “hi, I’m the owner of MakeUseOf.com, please transfer the domain”. GoDaddy then complied. “

The Real Truth Behind The MakeUseOf.com Domain Crack

The plot has thickened because the hijacker (aka Ali Ferank) has requested a ransom of $2000 for the safe return of the MakeUseOf.com domain name.

What I would do if I woke up in Mark and Aibek’s shoes:

1) I recommend that the MakeUseOf.com team go over and take a swim in the ICANN registrar transfer policies to determine what pressure can be placed on GoDaddy.com to take some responsibility for what happened.

2) I would get Google involved since the person currently holding the registration is using Goggle as the email host provider.

The following shows the current WhoIs for MakeuseOf.com:

Registrant Contact:
DomainsGame LLC
Ali Ferank

Alhana baghas nara St
Dubai, NA 85445
AE

Administrative Contact:
DomainsGame LLC
Ali Ferank ()
+1.5544415212
Fax: +1.5555555555
Alhana baghas nara St
Dubai, NA 85445
AE

A quick nslookup for the MX record for the email domain listed in the registration information shows that DomainsGame.org is using Goggle as a host for email services.

> domainsgame.org
Server: vnsc-pri.sys.gtei.net
Address: 4.2.2.1

Non-authoritative answer:
domainsgame.org MX preference = 30, mail exchanger = aspmx3.googlemail.com
domainsgame.org MX preference = 30, mail exchanger = aspmx4.googlemail.com
domainsgame.org MX preference = 30, mail exchanger = aspmx5.googlemail.com
domainsgame.org MX preference = 10, mail exchanger = aspmx.l.google.com
domainsgame.org MX preference = 20, mail exchanger = alt1.aspmx.l.google.com
domainsgame.org MX preference = 20, mail exchanger = alt2.aspmx.l.google.com
domainsgame.org MX preference = 30, mail exchanger = aspmx2.googlemail.com
>

3) I would give these guys at Moniker Privacy Services a call to see who registered DomainsGame.org.

A WhoIs on the DomainsGame.org domain shows it registered to:

Admin ID:MONIKER1571241
Admin Name:Moniker Privacy Services
Admin Organization:Moniker Privacy Services
Admin Street1:20 SW 27th Ave.
Admin Street2:Suite 201
Admin City:Pompano Beach
Admin State/Province:FL
Admin Postal Code:33069
Admin Country:US
Admin Phone:+1.9549848445
Admin FAX:+1.9549699155
Admin Email:

4) I would not assume this to be an international issue just because the person gave a Dubai snailmail address.

Conclusion

In the meantime GoDaddy has told the MakeUseOf team to realax in a bowl of legal stew. GoDaddy is obviously trying to determine their liability in this matter before taking too much action. Lets hope that GoDaddy is not one of the registrars described in the Wikipedia explanation of Domain Hijacking and Domain Theft.

“However, it is well documented that some registrars will admit no fault in accepting the forged credentials and will refuse to correct the record until forced by legal action. In many of these cases, justice is not done and the hijacker retains control of the domain. The victims of such theft often do not have the resources or willingness to invest the effort necessary to regain control of their domain, which may require a lawsuit or a lengthy and time-consuming arbitration process, especially if the hijacker and victim are in different countries.”

GoDaddy.com has a chance to avoid more of the “GoGaddy Sucks” articcles if they handle this correctly.

Twitter Tweets 2008-11-01

TheOzz — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 03:59:59 +0000

GT Goodies - Blogging Idol 2: Grill’n Time has been entered into the Blogging Idol 2 com.. http://tinyurl.com/6czfax #

Blogging Idol 2 - Grill’n Time

TheOzz — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 13:27:39 +0000

One of my other blogs (Grill’n Time) has been entered into the Blogging Idol 2 competition that is produced by Daniel Scocco over at Daily Blog Tips. The competition will run through the month of November 2008 and offers a great incentive for me to revive this blog. There are over $4500 in cash and prizes up for grabs from the following sponsors:

A lifetime subscription to Keyword Country (worth $2,000)
An annual subscription to the Trackur corporate edition (worth $1,000)
$300 courtesy of Sponsored Reviews
$300 courtesy of BidVertiser
$300 courtesy of TNX
$100 from Daily Blog Tips
$300 in text links from Text-Link-Ads
A 3-month subscription to the SEO Book Training Program (worth $300)

You can help me win by subscribing to my Grill’n Time RSS feed by clicking HERE. There will be some design changes tot his blog along with some great new tasty treats from the Osborne Family Kitchen like:

Southern Sweet Tea
Homemade Popcorn that taste just like the movie theatre
What to do with leftover homemade biscuits
Some great new grilling ideas
And much more

You can also help me win this competition by sending your friends over to check out Grill’n Time.

Twitter Tweets 2008-10-31

TheOzz — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 03:59:59 +0000

New from LoO - Halloween and Christian Families: While I understand the arguments from folks.. http://tinyurl.com/6cpuz2 #

Twitter Tweets 2008-10-29

TheOzz — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 03:59:59 +0000

Change may be all we are left with in our pockets one week from today, but I hope we get to keep some dollars in our pockets instead. #

Twitter Tweets 2008-10-27

TheOzz — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 03:59:59 +0000

GrowingKids.org - One Family at a Time http://tinyurl.com/54wd6h #
Listening to Ricky Skaggs and Mike Huckabee on FoxNews. “Highway 40 Blues” #

Twitter Tweets 2008-10-25

TheOzz — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 03:59:59 +0000

Birthday party day for Riley 6 and Caden 4. Next year we plan to say, “your attendance is a gift, please do not worry about bringing stuff.” #

Twitter Tweets 2008-10-20

TheOzz — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 03:59:59 +0000

Got to get to Metro Center from Reagan Int Airport. Yellow to red at Chinatown or blue the long way around? Yellow and red make orange! #
Got gov per diem rates at J.W. Marriott on Penn Ave again. Great hotel just a couple of blocks from the Whitehouse and Washington Monument. #
I think I will have a taste of the raw bar at Ebbitt Grill. #

Twitter Tweets 2008-10-19

TheOzz — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 03:59:59 +0000

I have respected Colin Powell for years, but today he has be rethinking my opinion of him after endorsing Obama. http://tinyurl.com/5uxwa8 #
Online check-in complete for trip to Washington DC. Bag packed and watching Martinsville NASCAR race with Riley until time to depart. #

Twitter Tweets 2008-10-18

TheOzz — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 03:59:59 +0000

@gregsurratt Sorry pastor Greg I like the local variety of orange Tigers and anything that eats chicken. I LOVE the taste of fried chicken. #
Celebrating my big boy Riley”s sixth birthday today. #