The top-level domain (TLD) “.ml” is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) associated with the country of Mali. A ccTLD is a type of public resource that is managed by a particular country meant to serve the needs of its local community. Country code top-level domains are used to indicate to Internet users and search engines which country a website or a domain is registered in.
IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority) is the body that oversees the allocation of top-level domains. As per the IANA database, the .ml TLD is delegated to the Agence des Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication (AGETIC) of Mali. The sponsoring organization and the entity responsible for operating .ml is AGETIC itself. You can find this information authenticated in the IANA Root Zone Database (Source: IANA).
The .ml domain was first introduced in 1993. However, it started seeing a significant uptake only after 2013 when a Dutch company called Freedom Registry took over the registry services and began offering .ml domains for free to users worldwide.
The key purpose behind offering free .ml domains was to increase the usage and popularity of .ml and to counteract the relatively low Internet infrastructure and adoption in Mali. Anyone can register a .ml domain, and it can be used for any purpose – for personal websites, businesses, blogs, social platforms etc. Notably, popular sites such as Nic.ml and Dot.ml are examples of websites currently utilizing the .ml domain (Source: Alexa).
However, the open and free nature of .ml has also led to its misuse. As observed by Trend Micro and other cybersecurity organizations, the .ml TLD has been used widely for running malicious phishing scams, illegal activities, distributing malware, and hosting malicious content, which has led to some security firms warning against entering websites with this domain.
As per the rules set by the Mali Domain Registry, any .ml domain that is suspended due to abuse can be taken down without notice. They also have standard Dispute Resolution Policy for this domain (Source : Dot.ml).
Therefore, to summarize, the TLD “.ml” was created for use by Mali, but it is now used by businesses and individuals worldwide. While there is a great potential for the positive use of .ml, it carries a notorious reputation due to its misuse by threat actors, which is something that users should be aware of while considering its use. The management is conducted by AGETIC as per the guidelines set by IANA.
