The Threat of Rogue WHOIS Servers

The discussion highlights the risks associated with rogue WHOIS servers, especially following the expiration of the .mobi domain's official WHOIS server. A researcher demonstrated the vulnerability by acquiring the expired domain and creating a WHOIS server that responded to domain queries. This server was able to process email verification requests that led to the issuance of SSL certificates for domains the researcher had no rights to. The situation underscores the necessity of robust verification processes beyond simply checking WHOIS data, particularly since many SSL certificate providers still rely on outdated verification methods.