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Infrastructure

· 17 checks — DNS, redirects, IPv6, crawlability, URL variants, and domain intelligence rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
87
GRADE
B
FIX
0
REVIEW
7
PASS
10
INFO
0
Probed from Madrid, Spain
200 OK
Checks
17
10 PASS 7 REVIEW
B
DNS Records
4 A records, 24 ms lookup
REVIEW
4 A records, 24 ms lookup
Info::
Resolves to 4 IPv4 address(es)
Got: 151.101.129.91, 151.101.193.91, 151.101.65.91, 151.101.1.91
Info::
No IPv6 (AAAA) records
Warning::
CNAME record at zone apex
A CNAME at the zone apex can break MX and NS records. Use ALIAS/ANAME or A records instead.
Got: n.sni.global.fastly.net
Info::
No NS records found
Info::
No MX records — email not configured via DNS
Info::
No SPF record found in TXT records
SPF helps prevent email spoofing. Add a TXT record starting with 'v=spf1'.
Info::
DNS resolution time: 24 ms
Got: 24 ms
A151.101.129.91, 151.101.193.91, 151.101.65.91, 151.101.1.91
AAAA—
CNAMEn.sni.global.fastly.net
NS—
MX—
TXT—
CAALookup not available with standard resolver
Resolved in 24 ms

A CNAME at the zone apex can break MX and NS records. Use ALIAS/ANAME or A records instead.

Why this matters

CNAME at the apex (example.com) breaks every other apex record (MX, TXT, NS) — DNS-protocol violation per RFC 1034.

Learn more ▾

RFC 1034 forbids CNAME alongside other records at the same name. Some DNS providers offer ALIAS / ANAME / flattened-CNAME records that work around this — use those instead. Otherwise apex-level CNAME breaks email (no MX), domain ownership verification (no TXT), and more.

Source: RFC 1034

SPF helps prevent email spoofing. Add a TXT record starting with 'v=spf1'.

Why this matters

Without SPF, receiving servers can't validate sending IPs — your domain is easier to spoof in phishing.

Learn more ▾

SPF complements DMARC. Both should be published. SPF records list authorized sending IPs (e.g., `v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all` for Google Workspace). After publishing, verify in Google Postmaster Tools or mxtoolbox.

Source: RFC 7208 (SPF)

B
DNSSEC
Unsigned (DNSSEC not deployed)
REVIEW
Unsigned (DNSSEC not deployed)
Info::
DNSSEC is not deployed
The zone is not DNSSEC-signed. Users on validating resolvers (Cloudflare 1.1.1.1, Quad9 9.9.9.9, growing default in mobile resolvers) get no protection against DNS spoofing for this domain. Most registrars now offer DNSSEC at a single click; consider enabling it for sites where authenticity matters (banking, healthcare, government).
B
CAA Records
No CAA records (any CA may issue certificates)
REVIEW
No CAA records (any CA may issue certificates)
Info::
No CAA records published
Without CAA records, any publicly-trusted CA can issue certificates for this domain. Adding a CAA record (`yourdomain. IN CAA 0 issue "letsencrypt.org"`) restricts issuance to CAs you authorize. Required by CAB Forum baseline since 2017; the default of 'any CA' is widely supported but is the broader attack surface for issuance fraud.
C
Reverse DNS
Action
0/4 IPs match cert SAN
REVIEW
0/4 IPs match cert SAN
Info::
PTR lookup failed for 151.101.129.91: lookup 151.101.129.91: no such host
No reverse DNS record set for this IP. Common on bare cloud-VM IPs without provider-side PTR; not a security issue.
Info::
PTR lookup failed for 151.101.193.91: lookup 151.101.193.91: no such host
No reverse DNS record set for this IP. Common on bare cloud-VM IPs without provider-side PTR; not a security issue.
Info::
PTR lookup failed for 151.101.65.91: lookup 151.101.65.91: no such host
No reverse DNS record set for this IP. Common on bare cloud-VM IPs without provider-side PTR; not a security issue.
Info::
PTR lookup failed for 151.101.1.91: lookup 151.101.1.91: no such host
No reverse DNS record set for this IP. Common on bare cloud-VM IPs without provider-side PTR; not a security issue.
C
IPv6 Readiness
Action
No IPv6 support
REVIEW
No IPv6 support
Info::
No IPv6 (AAAA) records found
IPv6 support is increasingly important for global accessibility. About 40% of internet users have IPv6 connectivity.
No IPv6 Support
About 40% of internet users have IPv6. Consider adding AAAA records.

IPv6 support is increasingly important for global accessibility. About 40% of internet users have IPv6 connectivity.

Why this matters

No AAAA records — same impact as 'no IPv6 (AAAA) records'; IPv6-preferring clients pay extra latency falling back to IPv4.

Source: Google IPv6 stats

B
TLS Certificate Expiry & Recommendations
78 days until leaf cert expires — 2 issues to address
REVIEW

Certificate validity

78
days left
0d 30d 60d 90d+

Recommended actions

  • Add includeSubDomains to the HSTS directive
  • Enable DNSSEC on your domain for DNS spoofing protection
B
Operational Status Page
No status page link detected
REVIEW
No status page link detected
Info::
No operational status page link detected
Status pages communicate planned maintenance and incidents to users -- a hallmark of operationally-mature services. Most SaaS teams publish one via Atlassian Statuspage, Instatus, BetterUptime, or a self-hosted Cachet. Smaller sites legitimately don't need one; flagged as Info, not a failure.
A+
Subdomain Takeover
No subdomain takeover risk detected
PASS
No subdomain takeover risk detected
Info::
CNAME does not point at a known takeover-able service
A+
Multi-Resolver DNS Speed
Mean 17ms across 3 resolvers (spread 26ms)
PASS
Mean 17ms across 3 resolvers (spread 26ms)
Info::
Quad9: 2ms
Got: 2ms via 9.9.9.9:53
Info::
Google: 22ms
Got: 22ms via 8.8.8.8:53
Info::
Cloudflare: 28ms
Got: 28ms via 1.1.1.1:53
A+
Redirect Chain
No redirects — direct access
PASS
No redirects — direct access
Info::
No redirects — direct access
Got: https://www.theverge.com

https://www.theverge.com

5 ms · HTTP/1.1 FINAL

#URLStatusTimeProtocolServer
1https://www.theverge.com2005 msHTTP/1.1
A+
Crawlability
robots.txt present, sitemap with 44 URLs
PASS
robots.txt present, sitemap with 44 URLs
Info::
robots.txt is present
Got: 1417 bytes
Info::
sitemap.xml is present
Info::
sitemap.xml is valid XML
Info::
sitemap.xml contains 44 entries
Info::
robots.txt references sitemap
robots.txt 200 OK
Size 1417 B Sitemaps referenced 2 User-agents anthropic-ai, ChatGPT-User, Diffbot, Omgili, YouBot, Google-Extended, Applebot-Extended, Googlebot-News, Applebot, Bytespider, CCBot, PerplexityBot, Amazonbot, ClaudeBot, Claude-Web, FacebookBot, ImagesiftBot, Omgilibot, *, GPTBot Blocking No — crawling allowed

User-agent: GPTBot
Allow: /

User-agent: Applebot
Allow: /

User-agent: Amazonbot
Allow: /

User-agent: Google-Extended
Disallow: /
Allow: /sp/

User-agent: Applebot-Extended
Disallow: /
Allow: /sp/

User-agent: anthropic-ai
Disallow: /
Allow: /sp/

User-agent: Bytespider
Disallow: /
Allow: /sp/

User-agent: CCBot
Disallow: /
Allow: /sp/

User-agent: ChatGPT-User
Disallow: /
Allow: /sp/

User-agent: ClaudeBot
Disallow: /
Allow: /sp/

User-agent: Claude-Web
Disallow: /
Allow: /sp/

User-agent: Diffbot
Disallow: /
Allow: /sp/

User-agent: FacebookBot
Disallow: /
Allow: /sp/

User-agent: ImagesiftBot
Disallow: /
Allow: /sp/

User-agent: Omgilibot
Disallow: /
Allow: /sp/

User-agent: Omgili
Disallow: /
Allow: /sp/

User-agent: PerplexityBot
Disallow: /
Allow: /sp/

User-agent: YouBot
Disallow: /
Allow: /sp/

User-agent: *
Disallow: /wp-admin/
Allow: /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php

User-agent: Googlebot-News
Disallow: /ad/
Disallow: /sponsored/
Disallow: /sp/

User-agent: *
Allow: /sp/
Disallow: /admin
Disallow: /newfanshot
Disallow: /users/*/replies
Disallow: /users/*/comments
Disallow: /login
Disallow: /account
Disallow: /auth/*
Disallow: /chorus_auth
Disallow: /sso
Disallow: /search
Disallow: /the-highlight$
Disallow: /share$
Disallow: /share/*
Disallow: /share?*

# Google news sitemap
Sitemap: https://www.theverge.com/sitemaps/google_news

# Sitemap archive
Sitemap: https://www.theverge.com/sitemaps
sitemap.xml 200 OK
Type URL Set URLs 44 entries Valid XML Yes
Sample URLs:
A+
URL Variants
www/non-www, trailing slash, HTTP→HTTPS
PASS
www/non-www, trailing slash, HTTP→HTTPS
Info::
www/non-www redirect configured correctly (preferred: www)
Info::
HTTP correctly 301-redirects to HTTPS

www / non-www

200https://www.theverge.com/
301https://theverge.com/

Preferred variant: www

HTTP → HTTPS

301http://www.theverge.com/ → https://www.theverge.com/

Consistent

A+
Domain Intelligence
theverge.com — via Amazon Registrar, Inc., 27 years, 10 months old, hosted on Fastly
PASS
theverge.com — via Amazon Registrar, Inc., 27 years, 10 months old, hosted on Fastly
Info::
Domain registered until Nov 10, 2026 (6 months remaining)
Info::
DNSSEC is not enabled
DNSSEC protects against DNS spoofing attacks. While not required, enabling DNSSEC adds an additional layer of security. Contact your DNS provider to enable it.
Info::
Registrar: Amazon Registrar, Inc.
Warning::
Registrar lock is NOT enabled
The domain can be transferred without an unlock step. Enable registrar lock (clientTransferProhibited) in your registrar's control panel to protect against unauthorized or accidental transfers.
Info::
Hosting: Fastly
Got: AS54113
Domain expiry

176 days

November 10, 2026

SSL certificate

78 days

Issued by GlobalSign nv-sa

Domain age

27 years, 10 months

Registered November 11, 1998

DNSSEC

Not enabled

Protects against DNS spoofing

Hosting

Fastly

ASN AS54113

151.101.193.91

Registrar

Amazon Registrar, Inc.

Unlocked 4 NS records
Expiry timeline
Today
+1 year
Domain expiry SSL expiry Danger zone (≤30 days)
Recommended actions
  • Enable DNSSEC to protect visitors from DNS spoofing
  • Enable registrar lock (clientTransferProhibited) to block unauthorized domain transfers
Registrar Amazon Registrar, Inc.
Created November 11, 1998 (27 years, 10 months ago)
Expires November 10, 2026 (6 months)
Last Updated October 6, 2025
Name Servers ns-11.awsdns-01.com, ns-1312.awsdns-36.org, ns-1883.awsdns-43.co.uk, ns-637.awsdns-15.net
DNSSEC Not enabled
Hosting
IP Address 151.101.193.91
ASN AS54113 (FASTLY - Fastly, Inc., US)
Provider Fastly
Data source: rdap (0.2s)

DNSSEC protects against DNS spoofing attacks. While not required, enabling DNSSEC adds an additional layer of security. Contact your DNS provider to enable it.

Why this matters

Without DNSSEC, an attacker who can poison your DNS can hijack your domain — and SSL certs alone don't stop them.

Learn more ▾

DNSSEC adds cryptographic signatures to DNS records, preventing forged responses from poisoning resolver caches. Without it, an attacker who controls the network path can redirect your domain to a malicious server before any HTTPS handshake happens. Most modern registrars (Cloudflare, Google Domains, Route 53) enable it with one toggle.

Source: ICANN / RFC 4033

The domain can be transferred without an unlock step. Enable registrar lock (clientTransferProhibited) in your registrar's control panel to protect against unauthorized or accidental transfers.

Why this matters

Without registrar lock, an attacker who phishes your registrar credentials can transfer the domain in minutes — total brand hijack.

Learn more ▾

Registrar lock (clientTransferProhibited, clientUpdateProhibited, clientDeleteProhibited) requires extra verification before any transfer/update/delete. Every major registrar offers it free. Combined with 2FA on your registrar account, it's the strongest defense against domain hijacking.

Source: ICANN / domain-security best practice

A+
HTTP Probe Timing
Total 69 ms — DNS, TCP, TLS, TTFB, content transfer breakdown
PASS
DNS Lookup DNS Lookup — time to resolve the domain name to an IP address.
63 ms
TCP Connect TCP Connect — time to establish a TCP connection to the server.
0 ms
TLS Handshake TLS Handshake — time to complete the HTTPS encryption handshake.
2 ms
Time to First Byte Time to First Byte — how long the server takes to respond with the first byte of data.
67 ms
Total Time Total request time from DNS lookup through full response.
69 ms

Connection waterfall

DNS Lookup 63 ms TCP Connect 0 ms TLS Handshake 2 ms Server Processing 2 ms Content Transfer 2 ms
A+
CDN & Delivery
Fastly (HIT, HIT)
PASS
Fastly (HIT, HIT)
Info::
Site is served via Fastly CDN
Got: x-served-by: cache-iad-kiad7000122-IAD, cache-toj-leto2350067-TOJ
Info::
CDN cache status: HIT, HIT
CDN Detected: Fastly
Provider Fastly Cache Status HIT, HIT Evidence x-served-by: cache-iad-kiad7000122-IAD, cache-toj-leto2350067-TOJ
A+
CDN Cache Observability
Cache state: HIT
PASS
Cache state: HIT
Info::
CDN cache state observable via 4 header(s)
Got: age=1890, x-cache=HIT, HIT, x-cache-hits=45, 1, x-served-by=cache-iad-kiad7000122-IAD, cache-toj-leto2350067-TOJ
A+
Health Check Endpoint
Health endpoint at https://www.theverge.com/health (HTTP 200)
PASS
Health endpoint at https://www.theverge.com/health (HTTP 200)
Info::
Public health endpoint at https://www.theverge.com/health
Got: https://www.theverge.com/health
All checks on this page are automated. Results are estimates - run targeted manual reviews when the score affects a release decision.

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