ICANN, is Domain Query Hijacking Going To Be Dealt With?

[Seraphim]

Is ICANN ever going to do something about domain query hijacking? How long do we have to wait? First it was Chesterton Holdings and Wan-Fu China, now it's Marketing Total S.A. These guys are picking up available domains that I query like hotcakes. I know it's automated because my query lists have nonsensical domains mixed in with them that are getting picked up as well. This problem seems to come and go in waves, it's spreading to even obscure ccTLD's now [ICANN exporting it's substandard]. When is this problem going to be dealt with?

[1] Has ICANN officialy commented on this?
[2] Are there any previous or pending complaints filed with ICANN that I can add to?
[3] Does anyone have any clue how this is being done?
[4] Anyone notice the huge amount of non domainers complaining about this across several different languages now?
[5] Anyone notice how non domainers are associating query hijacking with domain investing?
[6] Are there any ICANN members involved with this forum that I can present a case to?
[7] Can I start a petition here at the DNForum?

We all know that if you find an available domain that you like, register it on the spot. But how many non domainers know this fact?

Do I need to strip naked and sport a picket sign on a street corner somewhere in order to have this issue finally looked at by someone at ICANN? Should I start my own petition?

ICANN's silence on this is starting to smell like complicity.

 

[Theo]

Where do you perform these queries at?
Are you saying that they are 'stolen' at Registry level?
That'd be Verisign for com/net - not ICANN.

 

[Seraphim]

Where do you perform these queries at?
Are you saying that they are 'stolen' at Registry level?
That'd be Verisign for com/net - not ICANN.

Most queries are done at Domain.com. If I'm understanding you correctly, they are not being stolen at the registrar level, but indeed at the registry level. Do you have any idea how this is being done, from a technical stand point?

This is also being called "domain sniffing".

 

[Theo]

In that case, they are stolen - if that's the case - at Domain.com
If they sell the list of queries, that's possible.

 

[Seraphim]

It's happening within minutes in some cases. I've queried available domains at Moniker and GoDaddy that end up right in the same hands as I mentioned above.

Where are registrars pulling the available domain data from [assuming the query goes through their site]? At the registry level correct?

 

[Creature]

I've never noticed this although I'm sure it must happen. Could your own PC be the problem ?

 

[Seraphim]

I've never noticed this although I'm sure it must happen. Could your own PC be the problem ?

I thought that at first, but it's happened to me across 2 different computers, both with fresh Windows reboots.