Tracking domain name related reputation

• US 20060095586A1
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company LLC (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Go Daddy Group Incorporated (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Adelman, Warren, Chadwick, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,117,339 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Systems and methods of the present invention allow for tracking of domain name related reputation by a domain name Registering Entity (e.g. Registry, Registrar, etc.). In a preferred embodiment, the Registering Entity maintains a database with reputation data that can be accessed by the requesters. The Registering Entity may update reputation data based on a variety of events related to the domain name. The reputation data may be tracked on the domain name itself, URLs, domain name purchaser or registrant, or email addresses associated with the domain name. The reputation data may include various categories, such as email practices, website content, privacy policies and practices, fraudulent activities, domain name related complaints, overall reputation, etc. The registrant may opt for a reputation service while registering domain name. The requester may decide whether to allow email messages or to visit URLs based on the domain name related reputation.

Claims

1. A system for tracking domain name related reputation, comprising:

a) a Registering Entity,

b) a Domain Names Database, maintained by said Registering Entity, for storing a Plurality of Domain Names registered through said Registering Entity,

c) a Reputation Database for storing a domain name related reputation data for one or more domain names out of said Plurality of Domain Names registered through said Registering Entity, and

d) a Plurality of Requesters, having ability to access said data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said Registering Entity is a domain name Registry.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said Registering Entity is a domain name Registrar.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said Registering Entity is a Reseller of a domain name Registrar.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said data comprises a numeric rating or score, representing domain name related reputation.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said data comprises a value out of one or more predetermined sets of discrete values, representing domain name related reputation.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said data comprises a link or a reference to a location of an additional reputation data.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said data comprises one or more records for a domain name itself.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said data comprises one or more records for a URL associated with a domain name.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said data comprises one or more records for a person associated with a domain name.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said data comprises one or more records for an entity associated with a domain name.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said data comprises one or more records for an email address associated with a domain name.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said data comprises one or more records associated with email practices.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said data comprises one or more records associated with website content.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said data comprises one or more records associated with privacy policies and practices.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said data comprises one or more records associated with fraudulent activities.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said data comprises one or more records associated with domain name related complaints.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said data comprises one or more records associated with domain name overall reputation.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein said data comprises one or more records indicating if a domain name can be trusted.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein said Reputation Database, at least in part, is maintained by said Registering Entity.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

e) a Plurality of Subjects, wherein a Subject comprises a person or an entity associated with one or more domain names out of said Plurality of Domain Names registered through said Registering Entity,

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said Subject comprises a client of said Registering Entity.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein said Subject comprises a purchaser of a products or services provided by said Registering Entity.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein said Subject comprises a user of a products or services provided by said Registering Entity.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein said Subject comprises a registrant of one or more domain names out of said Plurality of Domain Names registered through said Registering Entity.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein said Subject comprises a person or entity on record with said Registering Entity.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein said Subject comprises a person or entity appearing in WHOIS records for one or more domain names out of said Plurality of Domain Names registered through said Registering Entity.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein said Subject comprises a person or entity appearing in private registration records for one or more domain names out of said Plurality of Domain Names registered through said Registering Entity.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein said products or services provided by said Registering Entity include a domain name, an email service, a hosting service, a digital certificate, a computer software, a website design service, a reputation tracking service or any combination thereof.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein said products or services provided by said Registering Entity include a domain name, an email service, a hosting service, a digital certificate, a computer software, a website design service, a reputation tracking service or any combination thereof.

31. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

f) a Presentation Means facilitating access to said data by said Plurality of Requesters.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said Presentation Means comprises DNS records.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein said Presentation Means comprises a WHOIS records.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein said WHOIS records, at least in part, are maintained by a Registrar.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein said WHOIS records, at least in part, are maintained by a Registry.

36. The system of claim 31, wherein said Presentation Means comprises a website.

37. The system of claim 31, wherein said Presentation Means comprises a web service.

38. The system of claim 31, wherein said Presentation Means comprises a computer software.

39. The system of claim 31, wherein said Presentation Means comprises an API-based solution or protocol.

40. The system of claim 31, wherein said Presentation Means, at least in part, are maintained by said Registering Entity.

41. A system for tracking a reputation rating of a domain name, comprising:

a) a Registering Entity having an ability to register a domain name to a registrant,

b) a Reputation Database maintained by said Registering Entity, wherein a reputation rating of said domain name is stored in said Reputation Database, and

c) a Requester having access to said Reputation Database.

42. A system for tracking a reputation rating of a registrant of a domain name, comprising:

a) a Registering Entity having an ability to register a domain name to a registrant,

b) a Reputation Database maintained by said Registering Entity, wherein a reputation rating of said registrant is stored in said Reputation Database, and

c) a Requester having access to said Reputation Database.

43. A system for tracking a reputation rating of an email address associated with a domain name, comprising:

a) a Registering Entity having an ability to register a domain name to a registrant,

b) a Reputation Database maintained by said Registering Entity, wherein a reputation rating of an email address associated with said domain name is stored in said Reputation Database, and

c) a Requester having access to said Reputation Database.

44. A system for tracking a reputation rating of a website content associated with a domain name, comprising:

a) a Registering Entity having an ability to register a domain name to a registrant,

b) a Reputation Database maintained by said Registering Entity, wherein a reputation rating of a website content associated with said domain name is stored in said Reputation Database, and

c) a Requester having access to said Reputation Database.

45. A method for tracking domain name related reputation, comprising the steps of:

a) a Registering Entity setting one or more values in domain name related reputation data to an initial values, and

b) said Registering Entity changing at least one of said values in said data.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising the step of:

c) repeating step b) one or more times.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein said Registering Entity comprises a domain name Registry.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein said Registering Entity comprises a domain name Registrar.

49. The method of claim 45, wherein said Registering Entity comprises a Reseller of a domain name Registrar.

50. The method of claim 45, wherein said data comprises a numeric rating or score, representing domain name related reputation.

51. The method of claim 45, wherein said data comprises a value out of one or more predetermined sets of discrete values, representing domain name related reputation.

52. The method of claim 45, wherein said data comprises a link or a reference to a location of an additional reputation data.

53. The method of claim 45, wherein said data comprises one or more records for a domain name itself.

54. The method of claim 45, wherein said data comprises one or more records for a URL associated with a domain name.

55. The method of claim 45, wherein said data comprises one or more records for a person associated with a domain name.

56. The method of claim 45, wherein said data comprises one or more records for an entity associated with a domain name.

57. The method of claim 45, wherein said data comprises one or more records for an email address associated with a domain name.

58. The method of claim 45, wherein said data comprises one or more records associated with email practices.

59. The method of claim 45, wherein said data comprises one or more records associated with website content.

60. The method of claim 45, wherein said data comprises one or more records associated with privacy policies and practices.

61. The method of claim 45, wherein said data comprises one or more records associated with fraudulent activities.

62. The method of claim 45, wherein said data comprises one or more records associated with domain name related complaints.

63. The method of claim 45, wherein said data comprises one or more records associated with domain name overall reputation.

64. The method of claim 45, wherein said data comprises one or more records indicating if a domain name can be trusted.

65. The method of claim 45, wherein said setting said one or more values to said initial values is based on the validation of domain name related information.

66. The method of claim 45, wherein said changing said at least one of said values is based on the validation of domain name related information.

67. The method of claim 45, wherein said changing said at least one of said values is based on an event associated with a domain name.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein said event associated with said domain name comprises a complaint about unsolicited email originated from said domain name.

69. The method of claim 67, wherein said event associated with said domain name comprises a complaint about illegal content on a website hosted on said domain name.

70. The method of claim 67, wherein said event associated with said domain name comprises a transfer of said domain name to said Registering Entity to another Registering Entity.

71. The method of claim 67, wherein said event associated with said domain name comprises a transfer of said domain name to another registrant.

72. The method of claim 67, wherein said event associated with said domain name comprises a change of ownership of said domain name.

73. The method of claim 67, wherein said event associated with said domain name comprises an expiration of said domain name.

74. The method of claim 67, wherein said event associated with said domain name comprises a change in a registration information of said domain name.

75. The method of claim 74, wherein said change in said registration information comprises a change in the domain name contact information.

76. The method of claim 74, wherein said change in said registration information comprises a change in the domain name DNS information.

77. The method of claim 74, wherein said change in said registration information comprises a change in the private registration information.

78. A method for initiating tracking of domain name related reputation at the point of sale, comprising the steps of:

a) a Registrant registering or renewing a domain name and authorizing a Registering Entity to keep track of a domain name related reputation, and

b) said Registering Entity setting one or more values in domain name related reputation data for said domain name to an initial values.

79. The method of claim 78, further comprising the step of:

c) said Registering Entity changing at least one of said values in said data.

80. The method of claim 79, further comprising the step of:

d) repeating step c) one or more times.

81. A method for accessing domain name related reputation data, comprising the steps of:

a) identifying a domain name,

b) determining a Registering Entity through which said domain name was registered,

c) determining a location of a domain name related reputation data for said domain name, and

d) accessing said data.

82. The method of claim 81, wherein said Registering Entity comprises a domain name Registry.

83. The method of claim 81, wherein said Registering Entity comprises a domain name Registrar.

84. The method of claim 81, wherein said Registering Entity comprises a Reseller of a domain name Registrar.

85. The method of claim 81, wherein said data comprises a numeric rating or score, representing domain name related reputation.

86. The method of claim 81, wherein said data comprises a value out of one or more predetermined sets of discrete values, representing domain name related reputation.

87. The method of claim 81, wherein said data comprises a link or a reference to a location of an additional reputation data.

88. The method of claim 81, wherein said data comprises one or more records for said domain name itself.

89. The method of claim 81, wherein said data comprises one or more records for a URL associated with said domain name.

90. The method of claim 81, wherein said data comprises one or more records for a person associated with said domain name.

91. The method of claim 81, wherein said data comprises one or more records for an entity associated with said domain name.

92. The method of claim 81, wherein said data comprises one or more records for an email address associated with said domain name.

93. The method of claim 81, wherein said data comprises one or more records associated with email practices.

94. The method of claim 81, wherein said data comprises one or more records associated with website content.

95. The method of claim 81, wherein said data comprises one or more records associated with privacy policies and practices.

96. The method of claim 81, wherein said data comprises one or more records associated with fraudulent activities.

97. The method of claim 81, wherein said data comprises one or more records associated with domain name related complaints.

98. The method of claim 81, wherein said data comprises one or more records associated with domain name overall reputation.

99. The method of claim 81, wherein said data comprises one or more records indicating if said domain name can be trusted.

100. The method of claim 81, further comprising the step of:

e) prior to step a) receiving an email message from an email address.

101. The method of claim 100, wherein said domain name is identified from said email address.

102. The method of claim 100, wherein said domain name is identified from one or more links present in said email message.

103. The method of claim 100, further comprising the step of:

f) determining whether to allow or dismiss said email message based on said data.

104. The method of claim 81, further comprising the step of:

e) prior to step a) intending to visit a URL associated with said domain name.

105. The method of claim 104, further comprising the step of:

f) determining whether to visit said URL based on said data.