Domain Names

1
Domain Names

• Ferenc Suba LLM, MA
• Chairman of the Board,
• CERT-Hungary, Theodore Puskás Foundation
• Vice-Chair of the Management Board,
• European Network and Information Security
  Agency

2
Overview

• What is a domain name?
• Technical
• Legal
• Structure of the DNS
• TLD
• ICANN
• UDRP
• WIPO
• National Dispute Resolution
• .eu

3
What is a domain name?

• Technically
• Like a phone-number
• Unique addresses
• IP address
• 32-bit numbers often expressed as 4 octets in
  dotted decimal notation
• Alphanumerical string
• 192.0.34.163 icann.org

4

• Legally
• Not trademarks
• Not ownership
• User right for a limited period
• No laws
• Self-regulation
• Request for Comments (RFC) 1591
• http//rfc-1591.rfc-index.com

5
DNS structure?

• DNS Domain Name System
• 2 (or more) levels
• Top Level Domain (TLD)
• Second Level Domain (SLD)

6
TLD Top Level Domains

• Generic TLD (gTLD)
• .com, .edu, .gov, .int, .mil, .net, .org
• .biz, .info, .name, .pro, .aero, .coop, and
  .museum
• Country Code TLD (ccTLD)
• ISO 3166
• .ee, .lv, .lt, .pl, .hu, .cz, .sk, .ro, .bg, .si

7
Hierachy

• 1. ICANN
• 2. Registry
• 3. Registrar
• 4. Registrant

8
ICANN

• The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and
  Numbers
• MoU with US Department of Commerce
• Coordinating body
• IP address space, DNS service management (incl.
  DNS servers)
• Technical focus
• RIPE (Réseaux IP Européens)

9
Registry operators

• Registry, NIC, hostmaster, TLD manager
• Delegates SLDs (2nd level .co.uk)
• Technical responsibility
• Administrative responsibility
• Duty to serve the community
• National
• Global internet community

10
Delegation procedures

• First filed - first served
• Established rights
• local presence, trademark etc.

11
Disputes

• Cybersquatting (Mr. Smith registers cocacola.com)
• Typosquatting (misrosoft, gogle)
• Competing use (casino-monaco.com)
• Noncompeting use (two George Clooneys)
• Reverse domain name hijacking (using weak or
  nonexistent trademarks to get a registered domain
  name)
• Parody and commentary

12
UDRP

• Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy
• Approved by ICANN October 24, 1999
• Trademark-based domain-name disputes
• .com, .org, .net, .biz, .info, .name
• Cancellation or transfer
• Fast, effective and biased (see appeal
  procedure!)

13
Abusive registration and use

• identical or misleadingly similar to a trademark
• no rights or legitimate interests
• bad faith
• All 3 must be proven! (see D1318)

14
Legitimate interest

• Use or preparations to use
• Commonly known by that name
• Legitimate, noncommercial or fair use
• By way of prima facie proofs!! (see
  D1318)

15
Approved providers

• Asian Domain Name Dispute Resolution Centre
  (ADNRC)
• CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution (CPR)
• The National Arbitration Forum (NAF)
• World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

16
WIPO - procedure

• Example casino-monaco.com (Grand Duchy of Monte
  Carlo vs. Cybinter Ltd. from Hungary, D 1318
  before WIPO)
• Complainant submits complaint online
• and off line
• 1 signed original 4 copies to WIPO
• 1 copy to Respondent
• 1 copy to Registrar
• Complainant pays fee to WIPO

17
WIPO - procedure

• Defendant submits response online (20 days)
• and off line
• 1 signed original 4 copies to WIPO
• 1 copy to Complainant
• 1 copy to Registrar

18
WIPO - procedure

• Panelist appointed within 5 days
• Decision within 14 days
• Communication to parties within 3 days
• Implementation within 10 days
• Language of registration agreement

19
Disputes - ccTLDs

• Arbitration
• like UDRP (Union of Domain Name Resolution
  Policy)
• Court proceedings
• national legislation

20
.eu

• EC Regulation No 733/2002 on the implementation
  of the .eu Top Level Domain
• EC Regulation No 874/2004 on registration
• EC Regulation No 1255/2007 amending 874/2004
• Registry appointed
• EURid
• DNS-BE (Belgium)
• IIT CNR (Italy)
• NIC SE (Sweden)

21
Who is able to register for how much?

• undertakings having their registered office,
  central administration or principal place of
  business within the European Community
• organisations established within the European
  Community without prejudice to the application of
  national law
• natural persons resident within the European
  Community
• Price 4 euros per domain name profit of the
  registrar

22
Dispute resolution .eu

• Arbitration Court in Prague (Economic and
  Agricultural Chamber)
• Adr.eu Procedure rules similar to UDRP and WIPO
• www.arbcourt.cz/adreu

23

• Thank you for your attention!
• ferenc.suba_at_cert-hungary.hu
• PTA CERT-Hungary
• www.cert-hungary.hu
• Theodore Puskás Foundation
  www.neti.hu
• ENISA
• www.enisa.europa.eu

24
Questions

• What is a gTLD and ccTLD?
• What does UDRP stand for?
• What is reverse domain name hijacking?
• Where can a legal dispute about an .eu domain
  name be resolved?