Microsoft's recent unveiling of Microsoft 365 Copilot Search has been overshadowed by an unexpected oversight: the promotional materials prominently featured the domain "m365.com," a web address not owned by Microsoft. This misstep has raised questions about the company's attention to detail and domain management practices.
The domain "m365.com" is currently managed by eName Technology Co. Ltd, a Chinese registrar, and has been active since 2005—long before Microsoft's adoption of the "Microsoft 365" branding. In contrast, Microsoft's official domains, such as "microsoft.com" and "office365.com," are secured through corporate registrar MarkMonitor, which handles domains for many of the world's largest companies. The use of "m365.com" in official mock-ups, therefore, appears to be a significant oversight.
This incident is particularly notable given Microsoft's emphasis on trust, security, and responsible AI. The inclusion of a non-owned domain in official materials could potentially mislead users and expose them to security risks if malicious actors were to acquire and misuse the domain.
In response to inquiries, Microsoft has not provided a comment on the matter. However, it is believed that the inclusion of "m365.com" was a design error that has since been corrected. This situation underscores the importance of meticulous domain management and the need for companies to ensure that all elements of their promotional materials accurately reflect their assets and maintain user trust.
As of now, "m365.com" does not point to any suspicious content; it merely displays an empty page offering the URL for sale. Nevertheless, the incident serves as a reminder that even industry leaders can make basic errors in domain hygiene, highlighting the need for vigilance in all aspects of digital asset management.
Source: theregister.com Microsoft touts Copilot Search with a domain it doesn't own
