To Any/All Email/Spam Experts

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Joe Alagna

I’m not a big user of Microsoft Teams, but I’ve been receiving emails “from them” telling me I’ve won an Apple iPhone and asking me to do a survey. If Microsoft sends these, I’m disappointed because they look very spammy. I do not click anything on them!

On the other hand, I’m pretty sure these are not from MS and that they are just spam or phishing attacks waiting for me to click something. I have read quite a lot about spam and phishing, and I know how to find and read header files. I usually look for email addresses that don’t make sense. This header file doesn’t show anything that looks like an illegitimate email address. It has me a little baffled, and I’d appreciate any insight from my friends who really understand email.

The link below goes to a text file containing the header file for this email. For those who are suspicious enough not to want even to click my link, I’ll paste the text below as well. Please tell me what I am missing. I can’t see how to tell that this header file exposes a phishing problem. I’d really like to know what I should be looking for. Thanks!

Here is a link to a text file containing the header info:

potential-spam-phishing-headerDownload

I have also pasted the same text. Any help is appreciated. Thank you!

Received: from NAM04-MW2-obe.outbound.protection.outlook.com (40.107.101.101)
by MW2NAM04FT006.mail.protection.outlook.com (10.13.31.17) with Microsoft
SMTP Server (version=TLS1_2, cipher=TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384) id
15.20.7452.24 via Frontend Transport; Mon, 1 Apr 2024 13:16:43 +0000
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(2603:10b6:303:83:cafe::f3) by MW4PR04CA0107.outlook.office365.com
(2603:10b6:303:83::22) with Microsoft SMTP Server (version=TLS1_2,
cipher=TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384) id 15.20.7409.45 via Frontend
Transport; Mon, 1 Apr 2024 13:16:43 +0000
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Microsoft SMTP Server (version=TLS1_2,
cipher=TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384) id 15.20.7409.46; Mon, 1 Apr
2024 13:16:42 +0000
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Microsoft SMTP Server (version=TLS1_2,
cipher=TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384) id 15.20.7409.46; Mon, 1 Apr
2024 13:16:43 +0000
From: “Microsoft Teams” [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Teams sent you a message
Date: Mon, 1 Apr 2024 06:16:41 -0700
Message-ID: 90f06c62-ab16-4955-b841-48c20eab23ee@CO1PEPF000044F0.namprd05.prod.outlook.com
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Domain Name Pricing Trends

Posted on March 1, 2024 by Joe Alagna

As part of it.com Domains, I am constantly surveying the domain name market. I have accounts at many registrars to understand what works and what doesn’t. Today, I received a communique from our good resellers, ConnectReseller.com. They are a wholesale registrar that caters to people and companies who want to sell domain names as a product. They offer white-label domain seller websites and hosting, etc. Their prices tend to be at the lower end of the market spectrum.

An Example:

https://www.connectreseller.com/domain-prices/

There are good answers when someone complains, saying the prices for it.com domains are too high (or asking why we charge more than .com, for example). This can go for many new gTLDs, by the way.

  1. The trend in domains is higher prices. I’ve observed this for a long time, and the example in the link is typical and indicative. There is no crazy math going on here, but it’s evident that domains are not all $10.00 per year anymore.
  2. Memorable domains are valuable and are the foundation of a business. New domain endings like it.com allow clients to create truly memorable online personas. That is powerful and often misunderstood. But registries need to maintain balance.
  3. A suggested retail price between $25 and $50 offers value, and it keeps spammers away without tons of expensive technical wizardry.
  4. Retail domain name prices in that range are not too high or too low, and registries can always lower prices through promotions to compete. Pricing in that range is sensible and defensible.

Some Domain Registries are Finding Their Way

The domain name market is finding its way after years of experimentation. The value that good domains bring is worth way more than $10.00 per year. A niche valuation protocol is becoming de facto, where a registry knows they will never have 350M domains under management (like Verisign), so $10 per year is not a viable business model. They are going to the middle ground and charging between $25 and $50 per year.

Of course, there are a few registries who are simply saying, “Screw it, if someone wants our domains they have to pay our price to get them!” They’ll charge $1000 per year or something like that. They can get away with this. Nothing stops them, but it’s more damaging to the industry (and to these registries) than helpful. Regardless, this model can still work because the cost of running a registry can be minimized.

Finally, some registries like .bank charge more, but give or require more. .Bank is available only to banks. They require every registrant to use the latest security tools (SSL and DMARC, for example). These models at least have a reason to charge higher prices.

I hope that when the next round of new gTLDs occurs (just a few years), we’ll all have more experience and better pricing models.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Domain Name Pricing Trends

it.com Domains Sponsors the Internet Commerce Association (ICA) in Las Vegas

Posted on January 22, 2024 by Joe Alagna

The ICA represents the interests of domain name registrants from all over the globe. From January 17th through the 20th, elite domain investors gathered to share their ideas, best practices, and concerns. It was also a chance for members to network and make new business connections. The ICA gathering is an annual event. Many activities are informal and allow attendees to network and do business.

On Wednesday evening, the event started with A Postcard from Earth at the fantastic new Sphere in Las Vegas – it.com was a title sponsor of the activity.
Joe Alagna, Richard Lau, Michael Cyger, and Tess Diaz at the Postcard from Earth at The Las Vegas Sphere.
Me, Richard Lau, Michael Cyger, and Tess Diaz at the Postcard from Earth at The Las Vegas Sphere.

This new venue features a 360-degree view and oversized, ultra-realistic sound and video. It featured a futuristic scenario where humankind expands into new planetary horizons.

On Thursday morning, the industry’s most influential domain name brokers gathered to discuss how ICA members could expand the namespace and promote the importance and value of domain names in the business. This group is comparable to the National Association of Realtors, except they ply their trade in digital properties.

The ICA has created a Domain Brokers Pledge for their broker members, allowing them to post this best practices pledge on their websites.

The afternoon was filled with various activities to encourage new relationships and discussion in a casual and fun environment. Attendees played pickleball, hiked, or visited local museums together.

Our own Tess Diaz, me, and about 30 others chose to climb the trails at the incredible Red Rock Reserve in the desert mountains about 30 miles northeast of Las Vegas.

Tess Diaz, Doron Vermaat , & Nikhul Sangvhi at the top.
Mark Goraffi, Joe Alagna, and Christian Voß on their way up.
When it comes to climbing, I’m never satisfied. I had to go further and wave it.com’s flag (my it.com hat & backpack) at the very pinnacle of this mountain.

In the evening, SquadHelp sponsored hors d’oeuvres and drinks for the whole group.

Friday’s agenda was full of informational topics and expert tables. Top domain investors shared their expertise and got to question domain name providers like GoDaddy, Namebright, Dynadot, SquadHelp, .art, and it.com.

After lunch, also sponsored by it.com, I addressed the crowd and shared the virtues of our new registry dedicated to the global IT community. Technical domains are in high demand now, and it.com domains fit the bill.

The evening was capped off with a memorial dinner and the Lonnie Bork Award presentation. Lonnie was a Domainer who passed away but exemplified how our community shares knowledge and expertise. ICA members vote for the annual winner. This year’s winner was Jason Sheppard, whose sister attended to accept the award on his behalf.

Before returning home on Saturday, we met one last time for networking and a discussion led by Tess Diaz on the history of the ICA and the domain industry.

The event was a great success and helped it.com to nurture relationships with some of the top domain name registrars in the world.

it.com Domains is committed to the rights of domain registrants and demonstrates that commitment by supporting the ICA’s mission. There is no other organization dedicated exclusively to this cause.

Posted in Aftermarket, Country Code People, Domain Name News, Domain Names, ICANN, Registrars, Registries | Comments Off on it.com Domains Sponsors the Internet Commerce Association (ICA) in Las Vegas

Reasons for My Faith in Jesus Christ

Posted on January 12, 2024 by Joe Alagna

I’ve been a Christ follower for over 30 years. I may not always wear it on my sleeves, but I’ll never deny it. As a natural skeptic, it’s taken me a long time to believe the way I do today. I can truly say I love God, that He is a real part of my life, and that I submit to Him in everything I do.

Although I grew up in an Italian Catholic home, true faith in Christ didn’t come naturally to me. So many things have stood in my way:

  • 1.) I’m a sinner. I make mistakes and do things that are not aligned with what I know I should be doing all the time;
  • 2.) I’m prideful. The idea of submitting to anyone or anything has always seemed weird to me (I didn’t understand that submitting to the God of the Bible is submission to the everlasting, all-present, all-powerful, all-knowing God. He is a God Who loves me, and He is a God Who will ultimately judge all men. He is my Creator and the Creator of the universe! – Nothing can go wrong by submitting to Him, and it simply means considering Him first as you go through your days).
  • 3.) Catholicism, like many other faiths referred to as “Christian,” is not aligned with Biblical Christianity;
  • 4.) A proper relationship with God takes patience and is a lifelong journey involving many setbacks.
  • 5.) Finally, as for this list, which is not complete, I’m a skeptic. I don’t believe the “experts” of this world, including the scientists, atheists, pastors, and priests. I believe we all have base egos and biases. But the thing is, I have come to believe what the Bible teaches, that it is unerring truth, and it is how God speaks to us. So, I measure anything I hear from any human being (including things that my pastor says) against the Word of God.

There’s a lot more that I can’t address in a single article, but something I saw this morning got me on the topic. It is a presentation given by the amazing John Lennox, who is a Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University, internationally renowned speaker, and author of several books on the interface of science, philosophy, and religion. Check it out. Anyone willing to take the time to understand what he is saying can see that the existence of the God of the Bible is undeniable. It’s the only life philosophy that makes sense to me. I hope you’ll listen, learn, and enjoy it.

I want to add that I think we all have a responsibility to seek wisdom and truth, and there can only be one truth. Truth is not relative, and it is not personal. Those who don’t seek it or don’t care really miss out. The Bible teaches it (much in Proverbs).

Another reason I love this video is that it is probably part of a longer debate on the existence of God. Oxford seems like a place where a civil debate can take place without a mob taking over. All of social media is basically a mob. It’s the reason I don’t do debates there.

Posted in Inspiration, Personal, Plain Interesting | Comments Off on Reasons for My Faith in Jesus Christ