.zip (top-level domain)
{{Short description|Internet top-level domain operated by Google}}
{{missing information|about=intended and actual uses|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox top level domain
| name = .zip
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| introduced = {{unbulleted list|2014|2023 (public registration)}}
| removed =
| type = Generic top-level domain
| status = Active
| registry = Alphabet Inc.
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| structure =
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| disputepolicy =
| website =
| registereddomains = 14,000
| dateregistereddomains = 2024
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| idn =
}}
.zip is a top-level domain name operated by Google.{{cite web |title=.zip Registry Agreement |url=https://www.icann.org/en/registry-agreements/details/zip |website=www.icann.org}} It is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) introduced under the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers's new gTLD program. Approved as a part of the program, .zip became available to the general public on May 3, 2023.
The qualifier {{code|.zip}} is also associated with the widely recognized .zip file format, commonly used for file compression and archiving, and its approval as a gTLD received criticism for the security concerns that may arise as a consequence.
Security concerns
Google opened registration for the .zip and .mov top-level domains to the general public on May 3, 2023. Its release was immediately met with condemnation from cyber security experts as a result of its similarity with the file format of the same name.{{cite web |last1=Alcantara |first1=Jan Michael |title=.Zip and .Mov Top Level Domain Abuse: One Month After Being Made Public |url=https://www.netskope.com/blog/zip-and-mov-top-level-domain-abuse-one-month-after-being-made-public |website=Netskope |date=12 June 2023 |access-date=3 January 2024 |archive-date=3 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240103213509/https://www.netskope.com/blog/zip-and-mov-top-level-domain-abuse-one-month-after-being-made-public |url-status=live }}{{cite magazine |last1=Newman |first1=Lily Hay |title=The Real Risks in Google's New .Zip and .Mov Domains |url=https://www.wired.com/story/google-zip-mov-domains-phishing-risks/ |magazine=Wired |date=21 May 2023}} Malwarebytes warned against the use of already recognizable filenames and their confusion with top-level domains, as "plenty of users already have a clear idea that .zip means something completely different".{{cite web |last1=Stockley |first1=Mark |title=Zip domains, a bad idea nobody asked for |url=https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2023/05/zip-domains |website=Malwarebytes |language=en |date=17 May 2023 |access-date=3 January 2024 |archive-date=8 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208154546/https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2023/05/zip-domains |url-status=live }} Experts cautioned against their use, and noted that the use of .zip filetypes in cybercrime had had "an explosion" in recent years. Cisco warned against the potential for leaks for personal identifying information.{{cite web |title=".Zip" top-level domains draw potential for information leaks |url=https://blog.talosintelligence.com/zip-tld-information-leak/ |website=Cisco Talos Blog |language=en |date=13 June 2023 |access-date=3 January 2024 |archive-date=3 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240103213510/https://blog.talosintelligence.com/zip-tld-information-leak/ |url-status=live }} Researchers also registered similar concern about Google's .mov domain.
Surveys by security researchers immediately following public release of domain registration found numerous examples of links and domains registered under .zip being used in phishing attempts, and the ICSS recommended disabling access to .zip domains until "the dust settles and risks can be assessed".{{cite web | first1=Martin | last1=Brinkmann | url=https://www.ghacks.net/2023/05/15/googles-zip-top-level-domain-is-already-used-in-phishing-attacks/?amp | title=Google's .zip Top Level domain is already used in phishing attacks - gHacks Tech News | date=15 May 2023 | access-date=18 November 2024 | archive-date=7 September 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240907173949/https://www.ghacks.net/2023/05/15/googles-zip-top-level-domain-is-already-used-in-phishing-attacks/?amp | url-status=live }}
Usage
Following its release to the general public, .zip domain registrations were one of the most popular new domains registered in mid-2023, during the domain's landrush and early access period.{{cite web |first1=Reethika |last1=Ramesh|first2=Zhanhao|last2=Chen|first3=Wanjin|last3=Li|first4=Daiping|last4=Liu| url=https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tracking-newly-released-top-level-domains/ | title=TLD Tracker: Exploring Newly Released Top-Level Domains | date=30 August 2024 }} Security researchers noted high levels of phishing domains and high levels of redirection campaigns. Shortly after its release, some security vendors blocked access to .zip domains, and new domains under these TLDs began to be scrutinized more carefully.
One month after its public release in June 2023, there were 13,796 .zip domains registered;{{cite web |last1=Deacon |first1=Alex |title=The .zip TLD: Ripe for abuse, but so far so good |url=https://dnsrf.org/blog/the--zip-tld---ripe-for-abuse--but-so-far-so-good-/index.html |website=DNS Research Federation |language=en |date=July 17, 2023 |access-date=November 18, 2024 |archive-date=December 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207024644/https://dnsrf.org/blog/the--zip-tld---ripe-for-abuse--but-so-far-so-good-/index.html |url-status=live }} which rose to over 14,000 {{as of|2024|November|lc=y}}.{{cite web |title=.zip {{!}} Top-Level Domain Breakdown |url=https://ntldstats.com/tld/zip |website=nTLDStats |access-date=18 November 2024 |language=en}} Security researchers found that the rate of malicious registrations for the domain was approximately 0.20%, slightly below the global average of 0.22%. This was still higher than the abuse rate of 0.06% seen in European ccTLDs.
See also
- {{anli|Zip bomb}}