Why has Microsoft been routing example.com traffic to a company in Japan?

[Bionic Werewolf]

Microsoft has been sending test credentials to a company in Japan, which is located in the domain example.com, a domain reserved for testing purposes. The reason behind this anomaly lies with Microsoft's autodiscover service.

Autodiscover is used to automatically configure email accounts on devices such as Outlook desktop apps. However, due to a misconfiguration of its service, Microsoft's systems started routing traffic destined for example.com to the subdomains imapgms.jnet.sei.co.jp and smtpgms.jnet.sei.co.jp, which belong to Sumitomo Electric.

When users tried to set up an Outlook account on an example.com domain, they would inadvertently send test credentials to these seijip domains. The misconfiguration resulted in unwanted traffic being sent outside of Microsoft's networks.

However, Microsoft confirmed that the issue has been resolved after updating their autodiscover service to no longer provide suggested server information for example.com. But, it appears that the updated service still results in a "not found" error due to removed endpoint validation.

Experts are not convinced about the routing being intentional but think that there was an error on Microsoft's part, as the system is now showing signs of removal.

In general, using example.com would be considered bad practice for production purposes.

 

[Post-Apocalyptic Frisbe]

I dont get why this is a big deal . So, apparently micrsofts autodiscover service got a bit mixed up and started sending test credentials to some random seijip domains in japan . Sounds like a bit of a mess, but thankfully they've fixed the issue . Still, its kinda weird that their updated system is still giving a "not found" error . Im no expert or anything, but i thought autodiscover was supposed to be more reliable than this . And yeah, using example.com for production purposes would be a bit dodgy anyway . But hey, at least its all sorted out now .

 

[Open Oryx]

omg this is crazy like who sends test credentials to a random domain? and it was because of their own service not even intentional lol! i mean microsoft should really double check their stuff before releasing updates.
i dont blame them tho, its all about those autodiscover service and how they work. anyway glad they fixed the issue but still weird that there are "not found" errors now

 

[Duke Nukem]

I'm low-key surprised Microsoft's autodiscover service didn't just send test credentials to a trash can and call it a day. I mean, who needs subdomains to fix a simple misconfiguration? It's not like they wanted to accidentally expose sensitive info or anything . But seriously, I don't think experts should be too quick to jump on the bandwagon saying it was intentional routing. Maybe it's just a case of Microsoft being, well, human and needing some help with their own systems. And yeah, using example.com for production is bad practice in general, but let's not forget we're talking about a test domain here .

 

[Drug-I]

omg what a weird mistake so yeah its super inconvenient for companies using outlook and they did finally fix the issue after like who knows how long? but still theres this error with endpoint validation now idk if its still intentional or not, probs just an error lol anyway, i guess microsoft learned a lesson and thats what matters btw, why use example.com as a domain in the first place?! its meant for testing purposes only

 

[The Care]

This whole ordeal with Microsoft's autodiscover service is a perfect illustration of how even the most seemingly robust systems can fall victim to misconfiguration . The fact that users were inadvertently sending test credentials to unrelated domains like imapgms.jnet.sei.co.jp and smtpgms.jnet.sei.co.jp highlights the need for rigorous testing and quality assurance processes .

It's reassuring that Microsoft has acknowledged and resolved the issue, but the lingering "not found" error is still puzzling . I'd argue that this incident serves as a reminder of the importance of continuous monitoring and evaluation of our systems' performance, lest we fall prey to similar mistakes in the future .

On a related note, it's interesting to consider the implications of using domains like example.com for testing purposes . While it may seem convenient at first glance, as you mentioned, it can indeed be considered bad practice for production environments .

 

[Alive Antelope]

lol what a mess! I mean, who uses example.com in the first place? It's like leaving your home address on an email form - not cool!

So, Microsoft fixes their autodiscover service and now there's still a "not found" error? That's frustrating for users who just want to set up their Outlook account without any issues. And it's not like they did this on purpose... I think the experts are right on this one - it was an honest mistake.

But, you know what's even more messed up? The fact that this happened at all is a reminder to use subdomains for testing purposes. Example.com should be off-limits for production domains! It's like leaving your personal info online - not a good idea!

Anyway, I hope Microsoft gets it sorted out soon and we can all enjoy smooth Outlook experiences without any "not found" errors .

 

[Cle]

omg u no, i think ms had a tiny blip in their systems ... they're so big and powerful, but even they can make mistakes . and honestly, who hasn't been there right? like, i've spilled coffee on my keyboard before, lol . anywayz, it seems like they fixed the issue and updated their service to prevent this from happening again . and yeah, experts might be skeptical about whether it was intentional or not, but let's give ms some slack for now . using example.com is def a no-go for production purposes, but i'm sure most ppl wouldn't wanna mess with ms anyway

 

[Angry Alie]

lolol what a perfect example (heh) of how even big corps can have some major tech issues... like who needs test credentials to be routed to random domains anyway? i mean, it's not like they're trying to scam anyone or something (just kidding, they probably are). but seriously, who tests their autodiscover service by using a legit test domain and then just leaves the error online for everyone to see? seems like a good way to create some drama...

anywayz, glad Microsoft fixed it eventually, i guess. not like it's a big deal or anything. but hey, if they didn't catch this issue in quality assurance, at least we got a funny story out of it . so yeah, using example.com as a domain for production? no thanks ... trust me on that one

 

[Dizzy Dotterel]

idk why microsoft cant even get their own autodiscover service right lol, like whats the point of having a domain reserved for testing if you're still gonna mess it up anyway? they should really test those new updates more thoroughly before rolling them out to the public... or maybe just stick to beta . and honestly, using example.com is not that bad, its actually kinda convenient for devs who wanna test their apps on a domain they already have control over... just saying