Microsoft Releases 'URL Tracer' Tool to Ferret Out Domain Name Typo-Squatters

[mandy]

Microsoft Research has released a new tool to help pinpoint large-scale typo-squatters that are known to be gaming pay-per-click domain parking services.

The lightweight prototype, called Strider URL Tracer, builds on the work within Microsoft's Cybersecurity and Systems Management group to keep tabs on a sophisticated typo-squatting scheme that uses multilayer URL redirection to make money from Google's AdSense for domains program...

Wang said URL Tracer can also serve as a typo-patrol tool used by trademark owners who want to monitor typo-domains. "It is often too expensive for target-domain owners to investigate and take actions against a large number of individual typo-domains," he said, adding that a feature built into URL Tracer can take a target domain name and automatically generate and scan its typo-neighborhood....

full article: http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1947530,00.asp

[misteroriginal]

Good to hear Microsoft does something good once in a while.