[bc-gnso] Most Popular Invalid TLDs Should Be Reserved

[George Kirikos]

Hi folks,

Some of the root server operators post public statistics for their
domain name traffic at the top-level. For example, the graph (which
can take a bit of time to generate, given ICANN's slow servers) for
the L-root server's most popular TLD queries:

http://stats.l.root-servers.org/cgi-bin/dsc-grapher.pl?window=604800&plot=qtype_vs_valid_tld&server=L-root

demonstrates, to no one's surprise, that .com is king. What's more
interesting, though, especially given the new gTLD debate, is to look
at the most popular invalid (non-existent) TLDs:

http://stats.l.root-servers.org/cgi-bin/dsc-grapher.pl?window=604800&plot=qtype_vs_invalid_tld&server=L-root

This list will vary depending on caching and the geographical location
of the root server, but for the L-root, .local, .belkin, .home, .lan,
.invalid .domain, .localdomain, .wpad, .corp, .maps, .html, .router,
.host, .mshome, .htm and so on show popularity in the past week.

Given what transpired with the wildcarding of .cm

http://www.circleid.com/posts/nation_of_cameroon_typosquats_com_space/

and the current lack of a prohibition of wildcarding for new gTLDs
(despite our own input into the public comment periods), it's clear
that these TLDs will be in demand by those who hope to take advantage
of the built-in DNS traffic hardcoded into routers, LANs and other
private networks, and from typos of existing TLDs.

I recommend that the Security and Stability Advisory Committee compile
statistics on invalid TLD queries across all root servers, and from
popular ISP-run DNS servers, in order to create a Reserve List. The
list of at least the top 1000 invalid TLDs should be made public to
ensure transparency, and be pruned only with the consensus support of
the community.

Sincerely,

George Kirikos
416-588-0269
http://www.leap.com/