Would this be a serious issue?

[Domain Giant]

This is “hypothetical” and might actually happen all the time. I’d just like to know if it did happen would it be a serious issue or nothing to bother about.

The scenario

You login to the account where your .com/.net domains are (one of the bigger registrars), when your control panel opens you see many domains that are not yours...

After a small investigation you really are in someone else’s account, fully logged in!
-------------

OK, now I might be incorrect about this but would you not be able to destroy this account? You can unlock domains, change Registrant, billing and technical details of all the domains, you could do anything yes?

Q: If I’m correct and you could do anything in this account, what would you do?

Also, in this account there are some very very nice .com’s

What would you do?

Liza

 

[WalkinDude]

It happenned to me years ago with Nominet. Could see someone else's domains. I did nothing and simply problem went away. Now though I'd contact Nominet with full audit of my domains and a complaint about the issues to cover the back end.

 

[Aegean]

Q: If I’m correct and you could do anything in this account, what would you do?

Also, in this account there are some very very nice .com’s

What would you do?

Liza

If it was someone else's account I wouldn't do anything at all.

 

[Domain Giant]

This has nothing to do with Nominet as it was .com's.

I to would do nothing but have a sneaky look at the domains, but could you not create some damage in this account if you were a tw*t.

Also, not all people are honest and some would do bad things...

Also, if this did happen how secure are the 500+ .com I have with this registrar?

 

[bensd]

It's a bit like asking, if your keys fitted the lock to someone else's house would you rob all of their stuff?

Odd Q

 

[Domain Giant]

Hi Ben

I totally agree...

This did actually happen to me last night, I have many screen shots of it. I was just so shocked at what I was looking at, the account was owned by a Californian company and some of their domains were worth more than my house easy, there was 1000's in there!!

I was so tempted to take one but didn’t try in the end as its too dodgy and that's not my style.

It has now put a few ???? next to this company for me as anyone could be in my account and that person might just take what he/she wants...

 

[Edwin]

It's a bit like asking, if your keys fitted the lock to someone else's house would you rob all of their stuff?

Odd Q

Agreed. Even asking the question is weird, because there's only one possible answer: do nothing (except for reporting it to the registrar's support team of course so that they can track down and fix the bug)

As a supplemental, if you really could see all of someone else's account when you logged in, then I'd leave a trail of sparks in my haste to move my domains away from that registrar to somebody (hopefully) more secure!

 

[WalkinDude]

some of their domains were worth more than my house easy, there was 1000's

I think I would have failed this moral test. Apparently a bloke in America stole Sex.com and turned it from nothing into a 20million a year business. The true owner spent best part of a decade getting his domain back.

Finally got to court, the thief of course didn't bother to turn up, he was too busy loading trucks full of cash as he headed to Mexico.

The real owner then takes over a 20million a year business. Then I think at some point later the domain got sold for 50million dollars.

I'm only saying this cos if someone wants to nick one of my domains and turn it into a multi million dollar business go right ahead. Even got one in mind.

EroticDVDRentals.co.uk

 

[Alien]

Report it to the company ASAP and send your screenshots/evidence/info etc so they sort the issue.

I'd also ask them about my own account security and if not happy, I'd transfer them all out to another registrar.

 

[monaghan]

I'd be pulling my domains away urgently

 

[Domain Giant]

Thanks for the response on this.

I have had a few PM's on what people would do in this situation.

I have decided to contact legal@ and ask what they would like me to do with this info and all the screen shots. I have been advised by two people on here now via PM to email the registrant aswell as contact the registrar.

I have also been advised to put this and all the screen shots on every domain forum known...

What would you guys do? is it really that much of an issue?

It does seem like many people would leave the registrar it this happened so clearly they wouldn't want people knowing about it...

 

[monaghan]

I have no objection to naming the registrar, but my main focus would be getting my names somewhere secure.

 

[PaulK]

"I have also been advised to put this and all the screen shots on every domain forum known"..

Why ?

just alert the relevant people (in this case the hosting co and registrant company ) then walk away, don't start posting things about the host you may find yourself in hot water legally !

Accidents happen.

 

[Bailey]

I think most of us can understand (those that can visualise)

the shock, horror (how and why ?) something like that could happen. You've done right to bring it to all our attention and taken screen-shots. I wouldn't put anything further into the public domain for the time-being

Let us know how the Registrar service for the domains responds - If it's not satisfactory, let the registrant of the domains know, then decide between you if it needs a public airing.

 

[stellar73]

+ 1 to what Bailey said.

I think you should see what the registrar says first.

Am just wondering if it could be something as simple as an error on the part of the domain owner - For example I believe some registrars allow you to assign administrative facilities to a third party/other account holder....perhaps they were trying to do this and made a typo

 

[dashu1]

Easy.

1) Assassinate the true owner/s of the domains
2) Nick them all
3) Sell them all fast at knock down prices
4) Set off to airport to fly away and live a life of luxury
5) Get nicked and spend rest of life in prison

Drat. I'd do as Edwin suggests and worry about the security of your own domains.

 

[doodlebug]

It's a bit like asking, if your keys fitted the lock to someone else's house would you rob all of their stuff?

Odd Q

Good way of putting it Ben.

I had 73 domains in my Nominet account which weren't mine for about 2 years including one worth at least 5k and I never touched them.

 

[bulkcorn]

.... but where does anyone hide a stolen domain? Under their mattress? :lol: Isn't it like stealing a parcel of land? (If that were ever possible)