Rogers Hijacking failed DNS lookups

[Vexsloth]

For those who use Firefox, this is almost a non-issue. Google search bar and automatic google searches when you enter something in the address bar (e.g. just type cbc instead of http://cbc.ca and it actually automatically takes me right to CBC!!!)

Although it's good to know Rogers is being mentally retarded behind the scenes.

[DSgamby]

it happens in Firefox as per image and the problem has nothing to do with correct urls but misspelled urls.
type ccb.ca and see what happens

[mr.senator]

You can opt out...sort of.

type in gibberish and get the rogers did not find page.

go to the bottom and click on Learn more about this page.

Select opt out.

Now do enter more gibberish and voila you get a "cannot find" page that looks like it's generated by your browser.

Only problem. It's totally fake. First clue, this is accomplished through cookies. Delete your cookies and it's back.

Second clue Rogers is still generating the message, and apparently they're not smart enough to do a simple browser detect:


Check it out: I'm using Firefox, yet some the cannot find message is generated by Internet Explorer!

How'd that happen?

Thanks Rogers

[actng]

This is a serious issue for me - none of my work intranet's webpages can load...

[Vexsloth]

That's my point, I can't even remember the last time I bothered to type a URL. Google and Firefox makes it much faster and convenient. Typing URLs is so 90's

[powerstream]

If you don't use Rogers' DNS servers you won't see this. Probably more "experimenting" by Rogers on how to cash in at the expense of their users' privacy.

[powerstream]

Originally Posted by TVJunkie

hxxp://www20.search.rogers.com/searc...qusJ1hUiCodku1

With some of the banners on that page you get spy cookies and probably some other crap. And what benefit does this serve to the customer? Nothing. Just more cash going to Rogers from advertisers to serve that page.

[slam_to]

I find the big problem with Rogers hijacking DNS look-up failures is that is opens up a huge security hole.

read up:
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/200...rror-page.html

If you type in gmai.google.com (ie. gmail without the l, by mistake). Your browser will now annoyingly go to the Rogers/Yahoo search page. Now, what if someone hijacked Rogers/Yahoo search page and injected a page to look like Gmail?


I don't see how we can stop this. I bet Rogers will block access to Bit Torrent search engines, possibly it's competition, , or even ones critical of Rogers. I know it's a slippery-slope argument, but they already throttle encrypted packets.

[Alternate]

Some places to complain too.
Not that it will help at all.. And remember to donate to your local politician like Rogers faithfully does every year. A Monopoly needs friends in high places. Remember when Ma Bell got broken apart years ago? Mention that to your local politician.

Token government complaints site. Like the BBB.
http://www.ccts-cprst.ca/en/

Government representatives contact page..
http://www.canada.gc.ca/directories-...irect-eng.html

[technut]

Originally Posted by TVJunkie

They said the solution is to select a cookie to revert the URL and OPT out

I don't like the solution, but they do provide a page for setting the cookie. You can get to it from the link at the bottom-right of the search results, which takes you here, with an OPT OUT link on the page.

[stampeder]

"Opting Out" is just like the scheme called "Negative Option Billing" used by cable companies in the past (we'll just go ahead and bill you until you complain). It is completely anti-consumer.

[BobFillmore]

This practice is disgusting, and could erode consumer confidence. For example, when we surf to www.bell.ca to check out competing services, how do we know that the content hasn't been altered?
You're starting down a slippery slope Rogers.....

[MarcP]

Typing URLs is so 90's

So what? That doesn't excuse the practice. At least, now I know why all my work's internal pages via VPN aren't working anymore.

Nothing should be "opt out". Charter Telecommunications got slapped hard by consumers for their latest opt out scheme. However, nothing is stopping Rogers from going to the next level. They've been doing this consistently lately.

[Anteater]

Rogers' first step in the water was their attempt to throw those "You've reached x amount of your cap" notices on the top of webpages, now this.

The real question is if Rogers is so confident about this (and they haven't received a whole lot of negative press from the more powerful media presences anyway), what will they do next?

[shabbs]

Is this really DPI? I would not consider invalid DNS requests being redirected as DPI. I certainly don't like this practice though. OpenDNS is an option for anyone that wants to avoid this, however, they too redirect bad URLs to their search page.