.cm

Infobox Top level domain
name=.cm
background=#CCF


introduced=1995
type=Country code top-level domain
status=Active
registry=Camtel
sponsor=Camtel
intendeduse=Entities connected with Cameroon
actualuse=Gets some use related to Cameroon; a wildcard DNS record also catches typos with a paid search page
restrictions=Local presence required
structure=Registrations are made directly at the second level (there are also third-level registrations for government sites under gov.cm)
document= [http://info.intelcam.cm/domain.htm Registration form]
disputepolicy=
website= [http://info.intelcam.cm/ Cameroon Internet registry] |

.cm is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Cameroon.

In August 2006, it was reported that the .cm registry had set up a wildcard DNS record, so that all unregistered domains in this top-level domain go to a parking page with paid search links. This was likely intended to take advantage of typographical errors by users attempting to reach .com web sites. This has been tracked down to Kevin Ham.Berryhill, John. " [http://www.circleid.com/posts/nation_of_cameroon_typosquats_com_space/ Nation of Cameroon Typo-Squats the Entire .com Space] ", "CircleID". August 5, 2006. Retrieved on August 16, 2006.]

The wildcard DNS record in fact comprises three entries [cite web | url = http://www.robert.net/ccTLD/CM | title = CM Zone File | work = Robert Baskerville's ccTLD analysis data | date = 2007-12-30 | accessdate = 2007-12-30 ] :

*.cm 900 TXT "v=spf1 -all"
*.cm 900 TXT "v=spf2.0/pra -all"
*.cm 900 A 72.51.27.58

The first two relate to sender policy framework, although the second is of questionable validity, and mark the wildcarded domains as not originating any email at all. The third causes any non-existent name under .cm to resolve to a search page.

References

External links

* [http://www.iana.org/root-whois/cm.htm IANA .cm whois information]
* [http://info.intelcam.cm/ .cm domain registration website] - not working as of 2007-07-06
* [http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2007/06/01/100050989/index.htm Article about the man who profits from redirecting all the unregistered .cm domains]