New York becomes first U.S. city to get unique Web domain

Casting .com, .net, and .org aside, New Yorkers will soon be able to get .nyc for their top-level domain names.

New York City's information Web site for the .nyc Web address.

(Credit: Screenshot by Dara Kerr/CNET)

It appears a new domain landgrab has begun, kicking off with New York City becoming the first place in the U.S. to get its own top-level domain: .nyc.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the news Tuesday, saying this new URL will greatly help residents and businesses establish themselves as true New Yorkers.

"Having our own unique, top-level domain -- .nyc -- puts New York City at the forefront of the digital landscape and creates new opportunities for our small businesses," Mayor Bloomberg said in a statement. "They'll now be able to identify themselves as connected to New York City, one of the world's strongest and most prestigious brands."

Besides the name association, specific Web addresses also make it easier for people anywhere to find search results in particular locations.

New York's new domain was approved by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) in May. The organization has been working for years to expand generic top-level domains, like .com, .org, .net, and .edu, to more localized addresses for cities, countries, organizations, businesses, and more.

ICANN announced in February that it plans to roll out hundreds of new top-level domains this year, which will make for the largest growth of Internet addresses since the 1980s. Foreign languages were the first to start getting the new monikers, and brand names like .cadillac and regional addresses like .nyc are next in line.

New Yorkers will have to register for a .nyc domain, which comes with a list of rules, such as a physical address within the city limits. Registration for the Web address is expected to open in late 2013 and the cost for individuals and businesses is still being determined.

"Online search is increasingly driven not only by what a business does but also where it is located," said Ken Hansen, general manager for .nyc Registry Services for Neustar, which will operate .nyc on behalf of New York City. "A .nyc address will enable New Yorkers to easily find local businesses, services, and information online."

Ubisoft hacked, users' e-mails and passwords exposed

The video game developer, known for creating Assassin's Creed, announces that its account database was breached and that all users should to reset their passwords.

Ubisoft, the maker of Assassin's Creed, announces that its online network was breached by hackers.

(Credit: Ubisoft)

Anyone that has an account with video game developer Ubisoft is being asked to change their password immediately. The game maker announced Tuesday that its user account database was breached by hackers who gained access to user names, e-mail addresses, and encrypted passwords.

"We recently discovered that one of our Web sites was exploited to gain unauthorized access to some of our online systems," Ubisoft wrote in a statement. "During this process, we learned that data had been illegally accessed from our account database."

The game maker emphasized that the company doesn't store personal payment information, so no credit or debit card information was stolen. However, since passwords could have been stolen, the company is recommending that users change their passwords on any Website where they used the same or a similar password.

Ubisoft makes hit video games such as Assassin's Creed, Just Dance, and Tom Clancy's The Division. The company won't specify how hackers breached its system; it only said, "credentials were stolen and used to illegally access our online network."

This isn't the first time that Ubisoft's network has been hacked. In 2010, a consortium of hackers known as Skid Row claimed responsibility for breaching Ubisoft's Website in protest over a policy that required gamers to have a constant Internet connection to play their games. This hack didn't affect users' personal information, however, but instead removed the company's digital rights management technology for PC games.

As far as the most recent hack, Ubisoft said it is investigating the breach with the "relevant authorities" and working on restoring their systems.

"Ubisoft's security teams are exploring all available means to expand and strengthen our security measures in order to better protect our customers," the game maker wrote. "Unfortunately, no company or organization is completely immune to these kinds of criminal attacks."