Hijacking Server and Domain

[NeoDreamer]

If you register a profitable domain from somwhere (like 1and1.com), do they have the power to just take it from you and sell it to a high bidder?

Also, if you make a multi-billion dollar website with tons of content, could your host easily steal all that from you?

These questions may seem crazy, but I'm speculating on the worst case scenarios. Is it feasable to buy and run your own server? And how exactly do you register your domain by yourself and not through some website?

[Pasquale]

I guess you have to talk to the domain registry of America or something :P

[hl]

DM, you mean the International one? ICANN...

[Pasquale]

ah yeah something like that...lol

[Jeff Wheeler]

You can't register a domain through ICANN. You must go through a registered registrar, which can only be licensed by Verisign. Interestingly, Verisign is both a registrar, and the manager of “.com” and “.net,” so they have their company completely split between the two, and they can not legally work special deals or anything.

I don't believe a domain registrar can steal your domain, if they're an official registrar listed on Verisign's registrar page (google it).

Of course, there's no standard for the content. If they shut down, they're not obligated to anything beyond what their user-agreement contains (which may obligate them to virtually nilch). So, it's obviously a good idea to run your own regular backups if you're concerned.

It's possible to run your own servers (and fairly easy), I've done it, but not for a “multi-billion dollar website.” You would need tons of servers to handle the load, and that'd be pretty impractical for a normal connection speed, and even with a high-speed link, without a large server-room and a maintenance+security crew.

[NeoDreamer]

How do the typical multi-million dollar people do it? Run their own server or pay some other company to do it? Take YouTube for example. If they paid something to do the hosting, couldn't the host just steal all their videos and make a big profit? But if YouTube wanted to prevent the theft, they'd have to go through all the trouble of managing their own stuff. So how do all the other big name companies handle this? (Google, Amazon, etc...)

[Jeff Wheeler]

Well, the largest internet guys probably have their own (I know my dad's company did, when they were making multi-millions), but non internet companies probably don't. I.e., I bet Memorex (which doesn't have a huge internet service) contracts it out, and they just could sue if the other company dare steal anything.

[Decfor]

Your not gonna believe this. but i actually found something on this the other day by accident.

Believe it or not, there is a vault, with many "cages" inside it. the cages have bio-sensitive security (IE hand/finger print analysis) so that only a select few can access each cage, within which is a server.

so for example, google and yahoo each own there own cage, with their servers in it.

the vault is bullet proof, and protected by armed FBI guards at all times, and it is where all the major companies locate. Google., Yahoo - even microsoft.

and heres the best part - anyone (with enough money) can purchase there own "cage"

there is a site on it that i found the other day, but i dont know where. im sure i found it by clicking on the media temple link on kirupa.com, and something about a sister site?

how ironic.

im gonna see if i can find the site, i'll repost when i do :)

[Jeff Wheeler]

There are some large server rooms (i.e., the Garland building in L.A.), but Google and Yahoo have servers in tons of places, near large IPXs.

Almost all server-rooms have bulletproof walls, very carefully monitored entrances, biometrics, etc… that's very common, I believe.

[Decfor]

oh. ok

i'll be quiet then :P

[NeoDreamer]

http://www.verisign.com/information-services/naming-services/com-net-registry/page_002166.html#A

www.1and1.com is not listed as a certified registrar under Versign according to this website. Since I already registered a domain with 1and1, what should I do now? Panic??????????????????????

[Jeff Wheeler]

That's really surprising! I would definitely trust 1and1 not to steal my domain, but that's still very odd. I would ask their support; I bet they direct the registrar stuff through a slightly different name, or something, as to differentiate the businesses. I don't know, though.

[bwh2]

well first off, you own the domain; not the registrar. so no, they can't just "steal it." that's illegal and my guess is that if you're making a $1,000,000+ on your website that you can afford the attorneys to rip them if they did anything similar.

the second question is whether a host can just use your stored data without permission and the answer is also no. that's copyright infringement.

all that being said, you should still be on the lookout for companies to make sure they seem professional. using a registered registrar is a good start.

[NeoDreamer]

They shouldn't, but they could. It's just like how murder is against the law, but people still do it. That's what I'm afraid about.

[hl]

Thing is you should find a smart host. A smart host would know it would bring in more money to affiliate with the big website for a link on their page or something over stealing the content and selling their content. This is especially true considering the fact that the author of such content can easily sue the host for stealing of property and not only force it so that the host can no longer sell the content, but will probably be put out of business.

You need to choose the right host.

[Pixelangry]

You sound a bit paranoid if you ask me...

[NeoDreamer]

What? You're okay with putting a billion dollars in anybody's hands?

[Pixelangry]

You'd put a billion dollars into a bank wouldnt you?

[Decfor]

You'd put a billion dollars into a bank wouldnt you?


i certainly wouldnt.

i'd put it inm a swiss bank acount - no tax :P

[Pixelangry]

Either way your still putting money into anybody's hands.

[NeoDreamer]

I would but the billion dollars in a high security vault in my home.

[hl]

There's one issue at hand. Was the billion ever yours? Doubt you'll get it for a long while if at all :)

[NeoDreamer]

I'll get the billion sooner or later. I've got a good website idea.

[hl]

Everyone has that + 1 :P Don't get your hopes up that fast. There's a good chance of something happening with a good idea... but nothing's guaranteed.

[NeoDreamer]

I have to try. If I don't even start my idea, then i've already lost.

What lies before us and what lies beyond us is tiny compared to what lies within us. -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Every calling is great when greatly pursued. -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

[Pixelangry]

I would but the billion dollars in a high security vault in my home.

That wouldn't be to smart, you'd end up murdered.