On May 3rd, Google released 8 new top-level domains (TLDs) -- these are new values like .com, .org, .biz, domain names. These new TLDs were made available for public registration via any domain registrar on May 10th.

Usually, this should be a cool info, move on with your life and largely ignore it moment.

Except a couple of these new domain names are common file type extensions: ".zip" and ".mov".

This means typing out a file name could resolve into a link that takes you to one of these new URLs, whether it's in an email, on your tumblr blog post, a tweet, or in file explorer on your desktop.

What was previously plain text could now resolve as link and go to a malicious website where people are expecting to go to a file and therefore download malware without realizing it.

Folk monitoring these new domain registrations are already seeing some clearly malicious actors registering and setting this up. Some are squatting the domain names trying to point out what a bad idea this was. Some already trying to steal your login in credentials and personal info.

This is what we're seeing only 12 days into the domains being available. Only 5 days being publicly available.

What can you do? For now, be very careful where you type in .zip or .mov, watch what website URLs you're on, don't enable automatic downloads, be very careful when visiting any site on these new domains, and do not type in file names without spaces or other interrupters.

I'm seeing security officers for companies talking about wholesale blocking .zip and .mov domains from within the company's internet, and that's probably wise.

A malicious actor sets up a page with an auto-downloader squatting on a domain name that matches a common zip file name like photos DOT zip. This website is set up to start an auto downloader upon being visited, downloading a zip file with the same name as the URL which contains malicious software (virus, worm, keylogger, etc).

Scenario.

Someone you know well sends you an email or text with promised photos attached. The email even reads something like this.

Because .zip is now a TLD, that plain text is automatically formatted into a link to malicious actor's website without them having to send you anything.

Folk with family with iPhones or iPads that are sent multiple photos in one go might be familiar with iCloud's tendency to automatically compile them into zip file for the sender and less savvy tech users have trouble NOT doing that.

These same less savvy users, or even just someone just not thinking in the moment, will click that .zip link, not realizing it isn't the the same as clicking on the promised attachment.

They download a file that matches the name they expected. They open it because they were expecting that file and it's from a trusted source. Except the file they downloaded isn't the one that was sent by their trusted source and now they have malware.

Another Scenario.

An IT person tries to send you an email with instructions on how to resolve a problem with a commonly used filename like install-repair DOT zip or to install new software like microsoft-office DOT zip.

The email may start with instructions of where to go get the legitimate file to do the install or repair, but now a line later in the instructions is also has a link to a .zip URL. A user, already frazzled by IT problems, may click it to ensure they have the right file. Again, they download malicious code from a squatting website or it prompts them with a fake login and now the squatting website has stolen their login credentials for a legitimate site. All due to an expected email from a trusted source.

Above you can see microsoft-office DOT zip is already out there with a fake Microsoft login screen waiting to steal your credentials.

These risks are already out there now because the TLD has been activated.

Plain text on old post are already being resolved into links to the new websites.

Here you can see a tweet from 2021, long before .zip was a domain name, now resolves that plan text into a clickable link. You'll start seeing this everywhere, and malicious actors do not have to lift a finger to send it to you.

Yes, a lot of users aren't going to click that, but a lot of folk will. Whomever is squatting on photos DOT zip domain name has made a one time payment to have access to anyone that ever sees that file name typed out.

In an example of an existing squatter site, clientdocs DOT zip is exactly one such pre-setup .zip domain name that initiates an automatic download. This one may be harmless, but the set ups are already out there and waiting to catch folk.

It's an unnecessary and risky can of worms that's been opened up.

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@commanderyes and I’s schedules finally aligned for us to play a living world update together at launch! 

Well, I did say I wasn’t done with charr comics. (Or… you know, comics in general).

Grothmar Valley was an awesome episode. The map metas were fun (including the concert, which I openly dreaded before launch) and I really loved the ambient storytelling the map managed to put across. It also came with not just one, but two absolutely lovable charr - Flame “imperator” Efram Greetsglory & Shaman Brightblaze.

This is a little something I wrote way back, when the episode first came out, and wanted to eventually turn into a comic. I can’t say I’m exactly 100% happy with the result, but… eh, it’s done. And if it makes at least a few people happy, that’s what matters to me.

… although the background always makes me feel like Nero should just burst into singing The Sound of Music. I guess overly-idyllic rolling lush hills just have that effect on people.

And as before, this comic was sponsored by ArenaNet, but its contents are not sanctioned by GW2 staff or official in any way, so don’t count them as canon.

It’s my 2 Year Anniversary/Titania’s Birthday, so I figured it’s time to celebrate with a little giveaway!

Rules:

You MUST be following me, no exceptions. New followers are allowed but you can’t up and unfollow right away like a jackass.

If you’re reblogging to your side account, please put your main in the tags so I can verify you’re following me.

NO GIVEAWAY ACCOUNTS. Cowards don’t get goodies.

Likes do jack, and his brother shit. And neither do multiple reblogs. One entry per person.

Prizes:

1st Place receives a gem store outfit of their choosing (excluding the 1000 gem wedding outfit).

2nd Place receives 5 keys.

3rd Place receives 1 key.

The Deadline for this Giveaway is September 27th!

Alchemy:

You love your colleagues. Every morning, at least one of them makes the same stupid joke “Oh sorry, the alchemy lab is THAT way”, and point you in the direction of kitchen. You really, really love this joke. You have laughed at it 5,347 times, and you will laugh at it 5,348 times tomorrow. The worst part is you really are a fantastic chef, you’ve enjoyed mixing things together for as long as you can remember, and now the most complicated dish you’ve made for yourself in the last few years is a piece of sliced bread. You were once reprimanded publicly for being three minutes late for work, as a dozen of your co-workers walked in even later than you did the same day without a word. You know you are going to be pushed too far one of these days, and they really should have seen the consequences of harassing an alchemist coming.

Alteration:

The most well adjusted of the magical fields. You have to be, you wake up one morning after a miscast and your vision is reversed so everything looks upside down, or you weigh less than a single Septim, or everything you see has an unhealthy shade of blue to it. You are adaptable, just like your school. People confuse you with Illusion a lot, but at your core you couldn’t be anymore different. You keep seeing something out of the corner of your eye, but when you look it’s gone. You tend to respond to that issue by slipping just a small spike of liquid courage into your morning coffee.

Conjuration:

You are the most popular with the younger mages, the most disrespected by senior staff, and absolutely hated by everyone else. It’s obvious to you why, when you really boil it down, your job is to COMMUNICATE with other people, and the entrenched magical bureaucracy cannot accept the idea of a mage with social skills. That’s what you tell yourself, at least. You don’t hate your job, but you thought you’d be farther along by now. Most Conjuration experts such as yourself would have run into some desolate locale by now to join a cult, but that’s not what you want. You want to be more than the stereotypes say you are going to be, but facing the stigmatization of your field, you don’t see a way out. Then you start to spiral, you’ve spoken to beings from a hundred different planes of existence, but half of them want nothing more to outsmart you so they can break their binding and inflict a cruel fate onto you. That’s your “coworkers”. Meanwhile, the other conjurers are getting ready to bolt into the night. The archmages know where your path leads, and they push you away due to it. At least you can make that one Alchemist laugh with that kitchen joke.

Destruction:

IT IS A GREAT DAY. Everyday is great when you are the BEST school of magic. A surprising number of your colleagues scowl at your chipper mood, but it doesn’t weigh on you AT ALL. Because you are the BEST. And you know they know it. After all, they aren’t Destruction mages. They can’t be the BEST without the BEST school of magic. Why? It’s quite simple. You have never had a cold cup of coffee in your life, nor have you ever burned your mouth on it. Your ice cream has never melted on you, and it’s never given you brain freeze. Today is a great day, and you are living your best life.

Enchanting:

Fear is the best motivator. Your underlings have learned this well.

Illusion:

You had the same dream last night, as you had yesterday, the day before, and for as long as you can remember. You are sure it will be the same one tomorrow. The oppression of the dream has made the days blend together, but you still put on your robe and wizard hat and head into work for the day. You are usually a bit late, but thanks to Illusion magic no one notices, or you make them not care. Your colleagues offer you a weird sense of respect, and you usually end up grouped with the Alteration magisters. Not that you’re complaining, but they should really know the fundamental differences between the two schools. Outwardly, you are charming (it’s literally a spell you know after all), out of sight when there’s trouble (another spell of yours), and whenever a coworker loses something you can retrieve it quickly. You are doing well, but you can’t shake the feeling of falseness to everything in the waking world. Not like the dream, nothing feels realer…

Mysticism:

You were technically supposed to be fired 200 years ago, but no one in the faculty has the nerve to inform you of this. You cut off the only person who tried by telling him “I have an important meeting with Magnus about the current flow rate of your Magicka” before vanishing in a flash of light. Then you just had to quietly slip a cursed item to stunt their magic on them, and no one tried again. You are actually an amazing magister, but you have learned the best magical abilities are the ones that don’t require you to cast anything.

Restoration:

You didn’t think Restoration would be like this. Restoration is supposed to be the most noble, honorable school of magic possible. Instead, it is the most profitable. People are expected to tithe small fortunes to have the simplest healing spells cast on them. You’ve seen the desperate and downtrodden turned away because they weren’t born wealthy enough to have someone cast a very low effort spell onto them to cure all their ailments. You’ve seen the middle class become destitute to afford your services. The wealthy need not worry though, they either have the coin necessary or the reputation to get treated for free. You regularly get reprimanded for “forgetting” to collect the gold for your services, but they can’t get rid of you with the increasing shortage of healers.

Thaumaturgy:

“Hi, I’m Arch-Mage Vanus Galerion. You may remember me from my some of my previous works like:

“Artaeum Lost” – ON SALE FOR 20 DRAKES. REPLY NOW FOR A LIMITED EDITION SIGNED COPY

“On the Utility of Shock Magic “ – BUY NOW TO GET A COPY OF THE MAGES GUILD CHARTER PERSONALLY SIGNED BY THE ARCHMAGISTER EMERITUS FOR FREE, WHILE SUPPLIES LAST

“That One Dream You Had” – DON’T BE EMBARRASSED I HAVE THAT EFFECT ON EVERYONE

“The Mages Guild” – JOIN NOW FOR A FAST PASS (™) TO THE ARCANE UNIVERSITY (™)

“Or maybe you’re simply wondering why you are alive today instead of a soulless husk at the mercy of the Daedra. Don’t worry, you don’t have to thank me for that… althoughitwouldbeniceifatleastsomeonedid… that’s not what I’m hear to talk about today.

“Today, I’m answering a question I get submitted to me far too often. Quite simply, ‘Why is necromancy not a school of magic?’ And the answer is just as simple, it’s because I said so. Now I know this might be hard too understand for someone who is not as great as I am, and that’s absolutely fine! You don’t need to understand why. I already understand why I banned necromancy. Just like how I can protect Tamriel from doom by myself, I can understand these complicated policies for all of us. I know it’s not an easy job, but your continuous praise and admiration is all the thanks I need.

I had a blast seeing everyone at Tyria Pride today! Everyone looked fantastic!