News coverage, Verisign etc.

"Steven M. Bellovin" <smb@research.att.com> 10/8/03 1:54:12 PM >>>

In these days of corporate malfeasance scandal coverage, you'd think

that

Verisign's tactics would have whetted the appetite of some bright
investigative reporter for one of the major publications.

For all that I'm critical of wildcards in TLDs -- I spoke at the
meeting yesterday, and my slides are on my Web page -- I don't think
there are any issues of malfeasance. No one has been looting
Verisign's coffers, they're not cooking the books, etc. I see three
issues: is this technically wise, did Verisign have the right to do
this under their current contract with ICANN, and should they have

such

a right. I don't see anything resembling dishonesty.

The dishonesty came later in the form of press releases and
'commentary' by Mark McLaughlin. Well, perhaps dishonesty is too harsh a
term. Let's be kind and say they are being disingenuous instead.

John