Computer crime: domains stealing
Date: October 03, 2007Source: indystar.com
Like real-world theft, the hijacking of an Internet address can happen quickly and with little warning.
New York computer consultant Ronen Inowlocki knows firsthand. In July, a thief took control of the yyy.com address Inowlocki has owned for years. He still is fighting to get it back, and can't access the "yyy.com" e-mail addresses he had used to communicate with clients.
Meanwhile, the thief shifted the Internet address, also known as a domain, to a service in Germany and lists a mailing address in Iceland as his contact info.
Experts say the theft of Internet domain names occurs every day. The thieves -- taking advantage of companies that have let down their guard or failed to take adequate precautions -- often are after financial gain, since short or memorable domains can be sold for millions of dollars and generate Web traffic and advertising revenue.
Some domain hijackers are former employees or others looking to extract payments or take revenge.
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