Editing AlterNIC

{{Short description|Alternative internet domain name registry}}
'''AlterNIC''' was an unofficial, controversial [[Internet]] [[domain name registry]] that relied on an [[alternative DNS root]]. The primary purpose of the project was to challenge the monopoly of [[InterNIC]], the official governing body for [[generic top-level domain]]s (gTLDs) until the creation of the [[ICANN]] in 1998. AlterNIC offered second level domain registration in its own [[Top-level domain|TLD]]s at lower prices than InterNIC. However, these domain names could only be resolved by [[name server]]s that were specifically configured to use the AlterNIC [[DNS root zone|root zone]]. The project is now defunct; the domain name <kbd>alternic.net</kbd> is [[domain parking|parked]] and no longer associated with AlterNIC.

== History ==
Eugene Kashpureff and Diane Boling created AlterNIC in 1995, defining it as a privately developed and operated [[Internet]] network information center and [[domain name registry]] service, with the purpose of enhancing the Internet with new information services.<ref name="anicws">{{cite web|url=http://www.alternic.net/TLDS.html |title=AlterNIC website |accessdate=2017-04-11 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19970125144823/http://www.alternic.net/TLDS.html |archivedate=January 25, 1997 }}</ref>

In the mid-1990s, the Internet was in a governance transition phase. Until then, the [[organizational structure]] of the network was still heavily influenced by its [[military]], [[Academia|academic]] and [[government]]al origins. At the same time, there was a rapidly increasing interest of [[Privately held company|private]] [[companies]], followed by the general public, to gain access to the Internet. [[Domain name]]s began to play a crucial role in [[business]] [[visibility]], and the number of registrations grew [[Exponential growth|exponentially]].

Initially, registration of new domain names and their maintenance involved no direct costs for the registrant. In 1995, the [[National Science Foundation]] authorized [[Network Solutions]] (NSI), the private company that they had mandated to maintain and operate the registries, to begin charging registrants an annual fee. Some perceived this move as unfair, given that the market was closed to [[competition|competitors]].

Eugene Kashpureff and company were among them and they decided to create an alternative registry to challenge the [[monopoly]] of NSI.

== Alternative TLDs ==
AlterNIC started operating their registries even though their [[name server]]s were not included in the [[Internet]] official [[DNS root zone|root zone]]. As a result, only users of manually reconfigured name servers were able to resolve AlterNIC names.

AlterNIC offered several dozens of alternative [[Top-level domain|TLD]]s, such as<ref name="anicws" />

* <kbd>.alt</kbd>
* <kbd>.biz</kbd> (unrelated to the subsequent, official [[.biz]] gTLD created by the [[ICANN]])
* <kbd>.corp</kbd>
* <kbd>.eur</kbd> (European name services, by NetName)
* <kbd>.fam</kbd>
* <kbd>.fcn</kbd> (Free Community Network - no cost DNS for charities & non-profits. Inactive.)
* <kbd>.free</kbd>
* <kbd>.sex</kbd>
* <kbd>.usa</kbd> (designed as a competitor to the official [[.us]])
* <kbd>.wtv</kbd> (World Tele Virtual Network commercial Internet TV. Inactive.)
* <kbd>.xxx</kbd> (unrelated to the [[.xxx]] that was first approved, then revoked by the ICANN, and then approved again)

During the experimental phase, domains could be registered without fees using the <kbd>.exp</kbd> and <kbd>.lnx</kbd> TLDs. Some TLDs such as <kbd>.ltd</kbd>, <kbd>.med</kbd> or <kbd>.xxx</kbd> were operated directly by AlterNIC. The setup fee for AlterNIC registries was $50. The annual fee was $24, half of the $50 that were charged yearly by [[Network Solutions|NSI]] for a <kbd>.com</kbd> or <kbd>.net</kbd> domain ($15 of the $50 were retained for a [[US Government]] fund).

A notable feature of AlterNIC was the possibility to request a new custom TLD for the same price as for registrations in existing TLDs. Established [[publishing group]]s had requested their own names: [[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] magazine had reserved <kbd>.wired</kbd><ref name="sw1">George Lawton,{{cite web|url=http://www.sun.com/sunworldonline/swol-09-1996/swol-09-domain.html |title=''New top-level domains promise descriptive names'' |accessdate=2016-10-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19961221193305/http://www.sun.com/sunworldonline/swol-09-1996/swol-09-domain.html |archivedate=1996-12-21 }}, SunWorld, 1996-09-16, retrieved through Archive.org</ref> and [[International Data Group|IDG]]'s affiliate in Europe has reserved <kbd>.idg</kbd><ref name="sw1" />

== Controversy ==
A part of the [[Internet community]] has praised the initiative, with some recent scholarship proposing that alternative DNS roots may allow for a more democratic network control structure.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Bastick|first=Zach|title=Our Internet and Freedom of Speech 'Hobbled by History': Introducing Plural Control Structures Needed to Redress a Decade of Linear Policy|journal=European Commission: European Journal of EPractice|year=2012|series=Policy Lessons Learned: Policy lessons from a decade of eGovernment, eHealth & eInclusion|issue=15|pages=97–111|url=http://www.epractice.eu/files/Journal_Volume_15_PART8_0.pdf}}</ref> Yet many others considered it harmful to the Internet. Using an [[alternative DNS root]] breaks the principle of [[universal resolvability]], unless it is for a strictly private purpose. From a DNS perspective, it prevents some parts of the Internet from reaching other parts. [[Jon Postel]], a significant contributor to [[Internet standard]]s, asserted that it would lead to chaos.<ref name="sw1" />  In May 2000, the [[Internet Architecture Board]] spoke out strongly against alternative roots in RFC 2826.<ref>RFC 2826 (informational), ''IAB Technical Comment on the Unique DNS Root'', Internet Architecture Board, The Internet Society (May 2000)</ref>

== Hijacking of InterNIC's website ==
On July 11, 1997, against the advice of his AlterNIC colleagues, Kashpureff [[DNS hijacking|hijacked]] the [[InterNIC]] [[website]], redirecting affected visitors to the AlterNIC website instead, where they could read about the AlterNIC protest or click a link to the InterNIC page.<ref name="jk2">Janet Kornblum, ''[http://news.cnet.com/2100-1023-205298.html AlterNIC founder faces extradition]'', CNET News, 1997-11-13. Retrieved 2010-03-22</ref> Kashpureff stopped the hijacking three days later on July 14, but started it again on July 18.<ref name="jk1">Janet Kornblum, ''[http://news.cnet.com/2100-1023-204904.html AlterNIC founder arrested]'', CNET News, 1997-11-03. Retrieved 2010-03-22</ref> This led [[Network Solutions|NSI]], the operator of the [[InterNIC]] website, to file a [[lawsuit]] against Kashpureff.

The civil lawsuit was quickly settled, but NSI had also contacted the [[FBI]] to investigate whether Kashpureff had broken federal computer crime laws. On October 31, he was arrested in [[Toronto]] on U.S. charges related to [[wire fraud]]<ref name="jk1" /> and faced [[extradition]] to the [[United States]]. After fighting extradition for two months, he waived his rights, and was extradited to [[New York City]]. He was released on December 24, given a $100 fine and sentenced to two years [[probation]].

The hijacking was made possible using a [[DNS cache poisoning]] attack, exploiting a [[security vulnerability]] in versions of [[BIND]] earlier than 4.9.6.<ref>NANOG Mailing List, ''[http://seclists.org/nanog/1997/Jul/264 Re: what's up, AlterNIC?]'', 1997-07-11. Retrieved 2010-03-22</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG-106shrg63940/html/CHRG-106shrg63940.htm|title=Cybercrime: Hearing Before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations United States Senate One Hundred Sixth Congress Second Session|accessdate=5 March 2017}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

== References ==
<references />

== External links ==
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.alternic.net/ |date=* |title=List for AlterNIC.net }} (their last copy before the domain began being used for advertising is of {{Cite web |url=http://www.alternic.net/ |title=AlterNIC.NET Alternative Internet Domain Name Network Information Center |access-date=June 4, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990421130102/http://www.alternic.net/ |archive-date=April 21, 1999 |url-status=bot: unknown |df=mdy-all }})
* [http://kashpureff.org/ Eugene Kashpureff's personal homepage]
* [https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG-106shrg63940/html/CHRG-106shrg63940.htm  Senator hearing on Cyber Crime, referenced prosecuting Eugene Kashpureff in Brooklyn Federal Court on charges of wired fraud ]

[[Category:Alternative Internet DNS services]]
[[Category:History of the Internet]]