Bell Starts Hijacking NX Domain Queries 310
inject_hotmail.com writes "Bell Canada started hijacking non-existent domains (in the same manner as Rogers), redirecting NX-response queries to themselves, of course. Before opting-out, you get their wonderfully self-promoting and self-serving search page. When you 'opt-out,' your browser receives a cookie (isn't that nice) that tells them that you don't want the search page. It will still use their broken DNS server's non-NX response, but it will show a 'Domain Not Found' mock-up page that they (I surmise) tailor to your browser-agent string. During the opt-out process, they claim to be interested in feedback, but provide no method on that page (or any other page within the 'domainnotfound.ca' site) to contact them with complaints. They note that opting-in is 'recommended' (!), and that 'In order for opt-out to work properly, you need to accept a "cookie" indicating that you have opted out of this service. If you use a program that removes cookies, you will have to repeat this opt-out process when the cookie is deleted. The cookie placed on your computer will contain the site name: "www.domainnotfound.ca."' Unfortunately most Bell Internet users won't understand the difference between their true NX domain response, and Bell's injected NX response."
From a typical web surfer's point of view (Score:2, Funny)
These pages are helpful for the typical web surfer. In fact, an automatic URL "fixing" service would be one of those revolutionary Web 2.0 features that exists in the recesses of the web, part of the infrastructure and totally natural to use.
Yes, it breaks some scripts and runs contrary to published standards, but it presents a new (actually pretty old) conception of how the web should work.
Re:If true, a SERIOUSLY broken opt-out... (Score:5, Funny)
b) The opt-out is perminent and for all connected through that IP/customer link
But then, how will the user re-enable the service when they start missing those targeted advertisements?
Ignorance is Bell's best friend. (Score:2, Funny)
Bell's current business model pretty much relies on people not caring about the shit they pull.
It's sort of interesting (or infuriating depending if I'm trying to use the internet..). My new ISP makes it no secret they hate everything Bell does. I think that largely has to do with them leasing their lines from Bell, and having their service screwed up when Bell does things of this nature. I imagine I'll be getting an email from my ISP soon telling me who to complain to about the service getting buggered yet again. Thanks Bell, I'll be by your office in the morning with a fresh cinderblock. I see you replaced your front window from the last time I put one through it.
At least their search page suggest s a solution (Score:5, Funny)
The first hit for me is the wonderful errornerd.com, which can fix these errors if you download their registry utility [errornerd.com].
They can even fix a host of other errors, even 404s [errornerd.com] and errornerd.com is a fraud [errornerd.com] errors.
Re:From a typical web surfer's point of view (Score:5, Funny)
A really douchy, I mean helpful, move by Bell would be to have every conceivable service running on the machine these DNS queries are redirected to, that would be configured to somehow convey the fact that the queried server doesn't exist, and possibly to display some ads. Like if a person tries to check for their email from IMAP the server would blindly accept any login credentials and return a mailbox with one mail with the subject "Invalid domain" and some adverts as contents. An SMB share would have folders named "Invalid" and "Domain". The possibilities are endless. Think of how convenient and helpful this would be.
Re:From a typical web surfer's point of view (Score:3, Funny)
C:\>cat /etc/services
'cat' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
Crap! Bell's hijacking has already screwed something up.