[ga] Most Popular Invalid TLDs Should Be Reserved

[George Kirikos <gkirikos@xxxxxxxxx>]

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
http://www.leap.com/