Domain hacks with unusual Unicode characters (2018)

Commenters described how unusual Unicode characters can turn domain names into visual puzzles, while also causing practical problems. Several said the displayed link was truncated or encoded unexpectedly, that Firefox did not reveal its destination on hover, or that browsers could not open it. One commenter suggested the site had converted characters to punycode without applying the expected normalization. These problems made the examples difficult to inspect and use, even before considering whether their appearance could mislead someone.

The security implications prompted disagreement over how useful visual URL checking is. One commenter argued that unfamiliar Unicode domains make it hard for both ordinary users and IT professionals to distinguish legitimate sites from phishing, so inspecting a link is not a dependable defense. Another mocked the assumption that grandmothers are typical internet users, noting that online users range from inexperienced people to skilled professionals and criminals. Other commenters recalled attempts to register unusual domains: one said a π domain was accepted and paid for before the registrar revoked it, while another described obtaining a one-letter Turkmenistan domain by bypassing a flawed signup check, only to face steep fees later. A story about an early attempt to register “fuck.com” added a glimpse of how unfamiliar domain registration once was.