The area identify registrar Freenom, whose free domains have lengthy been a draw for spammers and phishers, has stopped permitting new area identify registrations. The transfer comes after the Dutch registrar was sued by Meta, which alleges the corporate ignores abuse complaints about phishing web sites whereas monetizing visitors to these abusive domains.
Freenom’s web site encompasses a message saying it’s not at the moment permitting new registrations.
Freenom is the area identify registry service supplier for 5 so-called “nation code prime degree domains” (ccTLDs), together with .cf for the Central African Republic; .ga for Gabon; .gq for Equatorial Guinea; .ml for Mali; and .tk for Tokelau.
Freenom has all the time waived the registration charges for domains in these country-code domains, presumably as a strategy to encourage customers to pay for associated providers, comparable to registering a .com or .internet area, for which Freenom does cost a charge.
On March 3, 2023, social media large Meta sued Freenom in a Northern California court docket, alleging cybersquatting violations and trademark infringement. The lawsuit additionally seeks details about the identities of 20 totally different “John Does” — Freenom prospects that Meta says have been significantly energetic in phishing assaults in opposition to Fb, Instagram, and WhatsApp customers.
The lawsuit factors to a 2021 examine (PDF) on the abuse of domains performed by Interisle Consulting Group, which found that these ccTLDs operated by Freenom made up 5 of the High Ten TLDs most abused by phishers.
“The 5 ccTLDs to which Freenom offers its providers are the TLDs of alternative for cybercriminals as a result of Freenom offers free area identify registration providers and shields its prospects’ id, even after being introduced with proof that the domains are getting used for unlawful functions,” the grievance fees. “Even after receiving notices of infringement or phishing by its prospects, Freenom continues to license new infringing domains to those self same prospects.”
Meta additional alleges that “Freenom has repeatedly didn’t take acceptable steps to research and reply appropriately to stories of abuse,” and that it monetizes the visitors from infringing domains by reselling them and by including “parking pages” that redirect guests to different industrial web sites, web sites with pornographic content material, and web sites used for malicious exercise like phishing.
Freenom has not but responded to requests for remark. However makes an attempt to register a website by the corporate’s web site as of publication time generated an error message that reads:
“Due to technical points the Freenom software for brand spanking new registrations is quickly out-of-order. Please settle for our apologies for the inconvenience. We’re engaged on an answer and hope to renew operations shortly. Thanks on your understanding.”
Picture: Interisle Consulting Group, Phishing Panorama 2021, Sept. 2021.
Though Freenom relies in The Netherlands, a few of its different sister firms named as defendants within the lawsuit are included in the US.
Meta initially filed this lawsuit in December 2022, but it surely requested the court docket to seal the case, which might have restricted public entry to court docket paperwork within the dispute. That request was denied, and Meta amended and re-filed the lawsuit final week.
In accordance with Meta, this isn’t only a case of one other area identify registrar ignoring abuse complaints as a result of it’s unhealthy for enterprise. The lawsuit alleges that the homeowners of Freenom “are a part of an online of firms created to facilitate cybersquatting, all for the advantage of Freenom.”
“On info and perception, a number of of the ccTLD Service Suppliers, ID Protect, Yoursafe, Freedom Registry, Fintag, Cervesia, VTL, Joost Zuurbier Administration Companies B.V., and Doe Defendants have been created to cover property, guarantee illegal exercise together with cybersquatting and phishing goes undetected, and to additional the objectives of Freenom,” Meta charged.
It stays unclear why Freenom has stopped permitting area registration. In June 2015, ICANN suspended Freenom’s skill to create new domains or provoke inbound transfers of domains for 90 days. In accordance with Meta, the suspension was premised on ICANN’s dedication that Freenom “has engaged in a sample and follow of trafficking in or use of domains an identical or confusingly just like a trademark or service mark of a 3rd occasion through which the Registered Identify Holder has no rights or respectable curiosity.”
A spokesperson for ICANN stated the group has no perception as to why Freenom might need stopped registering domains. But it surely stated Freenom (d/b/a OpenTLD B.V.) additionally acquired formal enforcement notices from ICANN in 2017 and 2020 for violating totally different obligations.
A replica of the amended grievance in opposition to Freenom, et. al, is on the market right here (PDF).
March 8, 6:11 p.m. ET: Up to date story with response from ICANN. Corrected attribution of the area abuse report.