Hondra
@fmc-law.com
| URL Manipulation
Rogers is not only manipulating DNS, but also monitoring the URL's we are all attempting to browse to and selectively manipulating those.
A feature of Internet Explorer is "Address Bar Searching". This feature can actually be configured using Tools/Internet Options, then under the Search area, select Settings. This option allows you to select a search provider. By default Microsoft's live.com service is selected, however you can install additional providers such as Google. This is an open service and any provider, including Rogers are capable of creating and distributing providers.
What Rogers has done is review the URL structure used by this feature when using the Microsoft Live.com search provider. This particular provider takes what is typed into the address bar, when DNS name resolution fails redirects your entry too:
»search.live.com/results.aspx?q=y···-Address
The important aspect of this URL is the src=IE-Address component. This particular component is what Rogers is using to decide if they should steal the request and redirect it to their own service. If you browse to the link I provided directly your request will be stolen and sent to Rogers.
If you change your search provider to something other than Live.com, Roger's manipulation will not take into effect, unless they decide to steal this traffic as well.
This is disturbing because Rogers has made the decision for all Internet Explorer users to prevent you from using the Address Bar searching feature for Live.com. They are preventing individuals from accessing a public search engine as intended. This is not only something to be reported to the various sites already mentioned, but to Microsoft and Live.com themselves. |
