You Dont Want Strangers To Know Your Physical Address
Strangers on the internet arent always harmless. Usually trolls like to stay hidden behind a screen, but they dont always stay there. If your physical address is published publicly on the web, anyone who finds your website can find you in person.
This benefit is especially important for website owners that dont have a business location. If youre using your home address, do you really want to make it easy for strangers to be able to track you down online? Even if your website is on a topic thats mild , thats a real risk.
For businesses that can use a company headquarters as their listed location, the risk is smaller, especially if your address will be listed elsewhere around the web. In those cases, this particular benefit may not be worth much, but the others may still be.
What Is Domain Privacy Protection And Why Is It Important
Whenever you register a domain youre required by The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers to submit your personal information including your name, address, phone number and email.
You might not have known that ICANN also requires this information to be publicly available available through the WHOIS directory.
In the frequently asked questions on their website ICANN says this is to allow rapid resolution of technical problems and to permit enforcement of consumer protection, trademark, and other laws.
Each domain has a registrant contact , an admin contact , a billing contact and a tech contact .
If you registered the domain yourself usually your own personal information is entered for the registrant, admin and billing contact and the information of the company you registered the domain with is entered for the tech contact.
If you head over to whois.icann.org and enter in any domain you can see the personal information for these contacts as well as a bunch of other interesting information.
Needless to say, this is kind of a problem because anyone can look up your domain and collect your personal information. This opens you up to spam, identity theft, doxing, direct marketing and who knows what else.
This is where Domain Privacy Protection comes in. Pretty much every domain registrar offers this service. In some cases its included for free and in other cases it should cost at most $10 to $15 per year.
Name ServersNS1.HOVER.COMNS2.HOVER.COM
Stop Unwanted Sales Calls
As is the case with emails, with your phone number available for everyone to see, companies and marketers alike will be quick to use it and try to sell something to you. Ultimately, what you will end up with is your phone constantly ringing, and you trying to explain why you dont want to buy a new set of cooking pots.
With domain privacy protection in place, however, your data will be hidden from unwanted solicitors and you will be able to avoid receiving annoying sales calls day and night. Plus, you wont have to worry about prank calls or complete strangers using your phone number anytime they see fit.
Recommended Reading: How To Create A Domain Email In Google
Reasons Why Domain Privacy Protection Is Necessary
In todays day and age, information is available with a simple click or touch of a screen. But what happens if important or sensitive information is stolen and/or misused? According to TechBeacon, 75% of data breaches occur due to data attackers and external hackers. More importantly, such data breaches can cost a company more than $3.6 million.
One way hackers can collect data from your business is by accessing the details used to register the domain for your company website. Considering the damage they can do to your business, its only logical to look for ways to protect your corporate data, and domain privacy protection is one of the most effective ones. Here are 5 reasons why you need domain privacy protection.
Concerns Regarding Registering A Domain Name With A Home Address
If I purchase a domain, Im usually required to enter an address. Usually, the address can be accessed publicly by any sort of WHOIS lookup. Im uncomfortable publishing my real home address what do people usually do? Lie? Purchase a P.O box?
- 2Related indeed. However that question and its answers are focused on whether its OK to provide fake information or not, while this one is concerned with privacy. danJun 18 13 at 18:26
- This will depend on the Registry, but if you are registering a UK domain as a private individual then it is free to opt-out of the public whois database.Jun 18 13 at 22:08
- 1Today, with GDPR it will be private. As for specific domain registrar, check out the review: StasDec 22 18 at 23:32
- The medium.com URL points to a post for an account that has been removed. web.archive.org does not have an entry for this URL.
Not disclosing your personal contact information is a common concern, since as you state, its otherwise publicly available at domain registrars, and any site that implements WHOIS lookups.
There are Domain Privacy options available at most domain registrars however, for example: Private Registration
These will prevent the public from seeing your home address and contact information , while staying within ICANN guidelines since the registrar will act as the administrative contact and forward important emails regarding the domain to you.
Read Also: Is Cc A Good Domain
Is Domain Privacy Protection Available For Every Domain
Not every domain can get privacy protection it depends on the top-level domain you use.
Domain name privacy is usually available for most common top-level domains, such as .com, .net, .org, .online, and .co. However, you might find that its not available for domain extensions such as .mobi, .asia, .istanbul, and .space.
This is because some registrars dont allow the service due to some of their rules and regulations.
For the complete list of TLDs that cant be protected, check our guide on how to enable WHOIS privacy protection.
Why The Whois Directory Exists
The WHOIS directory exists to make sure theres a clear record of domains of website owners on the web.
Thats important for cases where a website owner is engaging in illegal activity or abuses their power.
If the WHOIS directory did not exist, then authorities would not be able to hold website owners accountable or minimize harm done because there would be no record or means to find offenders.
Specifically, the WHOIS directory comes into play when:
- Law enforcement agencies need help tracking down suspects in crimes committed online, or where key evidence is found online.
- Businesses or lawyers seek to identify people guilty of stealing or misusing intellectual property, such as plagiarists or people who use images they dont have the rights for.
- Internet companies want to limit the power of people guilty of spam or other nuisances or malicious behavior online.
Read Also: How To Make My Domain Premium
What Is Domain Name Privacy Protection
Domain privacy protection, sometimes called WHOIS protection, is an add-on service with domain name registration that allows you to keep your name and contact information private.
Every time someone registers a domain name, the domain registrar you go through is required to provide details about who the new website owner is to the ICANN WHOIS directory. That ensures if a website does anything against the law, theres a way to track down the website owner.
But it means that every person who owns a website faces the possibility of exposing important personal information to the whole wide web, including your physical address, phone number, and email address.
For anyone who doesnt feel comfortable with that, domain privacy protection provides the option to have your registrar submit their contact information in place of yours. It keeps you on the right side of ICANNs requirements, without exposing your personal information to the world.
Prevention Of Scams Or Spam Calls And Emails
Email phishing is where hackers can pose as a legitimate company to get your employees to open fake emails that could compromise your data. Protecting your email ID and phone number drastically reduces the chances of attacks such as email phishing and spam calls. It also helps in preventing unwanted solicitation calls and emails.
You May Like: How To Make A Domain
After Gdpr Is Domain Privacy Still Necessary
13 Aug, 2018Grant SperryDomains, Hosting, News & Updates, privacy, Security & Safety, System Administration, Tech, Tips & Helpful Information
For many years now most of us have felt compelled to pay for domain privacy when we renew our domains each year. Since domain Whois information was readily available we eventually found ourselves getting spammed badly enough that paying the extra for domain privacy was a no-brainer. But after the EUs GDPR was implemented on May 25th of 2018 is that any longer necessary?
Domain PrivacyBefore I answer that question lets back up a bit to touch upon domain privacy, Whois, and the GDPR. Domain privacy is a service offered by domain name registrars. For a fee the registrar masks your contact information and obfuscates your email address with a forwarding service. This prevented spammers from bothering you while providing people a way to contact you that still preserves your anonymity. In the early days of the Internet providing personal contact information was a courtesy which rarely had negative ramifications. Over time though access to your email address in particular was abused and registrars found it necessary to provide a privacy option.
Intended to protect privacy in the digital age the GDPR approaches personal data as a foundational human right for all members of the EU. Not only does it address 21st century privacy concerns but it also includes hefty fines for non-compliance.
Since May of 2018, Whois now looks like this:
Bluehost Domain Privacy Protection Price How Much Does Domain Privacy Cost
Bluehost Domain Privacy feature costs only $0.99 per month $11.88 yearly on average with the Basic plan. The renewal costs also remain the same. This is comparatively much cheaper as compared to the other web hosting providers. And if you want to get Domain Privacy for free, you need to select their premium plans Choice Plus and Pro.
Choice Plus is the most recommended Bluehost hosting plan that provides many features and add-ons such as free unlimited domains and free Domain Privacy + Protection at just $6.95 per month.
You can also opt for Bluehost Pro hosting plan that gives you access to free unlimited plans, Domain Privacy Protection, dedicated IP, and much more at $13.95 per month.
Read Also: How Much Does My Domain Cost
Protect Your Personal Contact Information
One of the primary reasons why you should have Domain Protection is that it helps secure your business information. When your personal information becomes public with domain registration, then WHOIS Privacy Protection service can protect the data from getting hacked or exposed to spamming or fraudulent activities. Your business data will be masked by the domain registrars standard contact information, maintaining privacy and safety.
Why Domain Privacy Is Needed
Domain privacy is needed to protect domain owners from identity theft, fraud, and spam.
Additionally, domain privacy can help domain owners keep their domain names longer, as domain name squatters are less likely to obtain and use domain names that are not publicly listed.
Finally, domain privacy can reduce the likelihood of domain name hijacking, in which attackers take control of a domain name by changing its registration information.
Also Check: Should I Get A Domain Name
Protection Against Fraud And Attacks
If your website is not fully protected, there is a chance it could become subject to a fraudulent domain transfer, i.e. someone breaking into your domain control panel and transferring your site to their name. Domain privacy protection helps you by masking confidential information.
Anti-malware and cyber security companies also use Whois history details to gather information on who is behind a malicious domain. Such information can even be used by law enforcement and investigators to develop attacker profiles, which is really helpful when it comes to catching the criminal.
Your Website Could Get Hacked
If your personal information associated with your domain and website are exposed, it places your website at risk. And hackers could leverage on such exposed information to hack into your online accounts.
Theres a high probability that your information could fall prey to fraudulent domain transfer also, that is, someone else could break into your domain cPanel and transfer your domain to their name, even without your consent.
Read Also: What Do Different Domains Mean
Protect Information From Your Competitors
Have you ever stalked your competitors while doing ? Of course you have. Well, your competitors might also want to find out more about your business: how you operate, how you reach your audience, what marketing strategies you are using, etc. If they manage to get such valuable information, you could easily lose your competitive edge.
In addition, having all your information publicly available will make it much easier for your competitors to access your customer contact details and use them for their own advantage.
It Prevents Scam Phone Calls
Phone numbers are also what telemarketing companies tend to take from the WHOIS directory. When your phone number is publicly available, theres a chance youll be flooded by various marketing and sales calls.
A scammer might also contact you, marketing fake products and services. Or worse, offering domain registration renewal services when its your domain is nearing the expiration date. Contact your registrar first before purchasing services or providing information on these types of calls.
If you enable domain privacy, your phone number wont be shown in the contact details section, protecting you from spam calls and scammers.
You May Like: Where Can I Get A Domain
What Is Private Registration For A Domain Name
Private registration for a domain name allows you to remain anonymous and helps to increase the privacy and security of your website. Whenever you purchase a standard domain name, your registrar is required to pass on your personal information to ICANN . This is then associated with your domain and registered within the WHOIS database. The personal information contained within the WHOIS database including name, postal address, email address and phone number is then available to members of the general public.
However, a private domain gives you the benefit of removing your personal details from the WHOIS database and replacing them with those of the registrar. In essence, it works in the same way as removing your telephone number from any publicly available listings allowing you to keep your contact details out of the hands of strangers. In this case, IONOS replaces your registrant details, administrative contact details, and technical contact details with our own. This anonymity is particularly important to ward off threats to online security. A private domain gives you the peace of mind to continue operating online without sharing personal information with would-be hackers or other would-be threats.
Protect Your Personal Information
Using domain privacy protection saves your personal information from being exposed to anyone on the WHOIS public directory, including scammers, cyber hackers and identity thieves.
These cybercriminals tend to use various means to steal private information, hack websites and misuse customer data, putting you at the risk of losing the trust of your customers or getting fined for serious data breaches.
Domain name registration and privacy protection make sure that your details such as company address, emails, phone numbers and other such data are protected and not available to the public through the WHOIS system. This makes it tougher for hackers and other cybercriminals to gather this information and use it for the wrong purposes.
Also Check: How To Switch Domain Hosts
What Iswebsite Security
Also known as cybersecurity,website security is an action taken to ensure that the data within the websiteis not exposed to cybercriminals and prevent the exploitation of the websiteand website data in any manner.
Website securityrefers to the process of shielding your website from attacks and cyber threats.Opting for website security protects your companys website from:
DDOS Attacks- These attacks slow down your companys site or crash it completely by denying access to visitors trying to visit your site and make it inaccessible.
Malicious Software- One of the most common practices used by cybercriminals to steal data allowing unauthorized access to your website.
Vulnerable Exploits- This involves extracting data from your website and attacking it from weaker areas.
Blacklisting- Your website can be removed from search results if a search engine finds malware in it, reducing your online visibility completely.
Having an enhancedwebsite security shields your website from:
l Spams andmalicious redirects.
l Sessionhijacking.
How Do I Get It
The process varies from registrar to registrar, but for the most part, its pretty simple. You have one of two options:
1. Purchase domain privacy at the time of registration.
Once youve found your awesome domain name, you should have the ability to add domain privacy before checking out. If you dont see it in as an option in your cart, call customer service. A representative should be able to help you add domain privacy.
2. Purchase domain privacy at a later date.
You can add domain privacy to any domain youve registered at any point in time. However, if you have the ability to add privacy up front, do so.
Thats not to say that your information wont become private after adding domain privacy, but there will still be time for spammers and scammers to take advantage of your personal details. Plus, the internet archives data, which can be searched by using the Wayback Machine.
Also Check: What Does Intimate Domain Mean
Can I Use Fake Information To Register My Domain
Now, you may be wondering if you can just enter random details to register your domain to avoid these issues.
Unfortunately, thats not possible. When you register a domain, its similar to registering an asset like real estate with the governing authority.
You need to provide authentic information because the information will be verified.
Youll need to use the correct email address because ICANN will periodically ask you to verify the validity of that email address to keep your website live.
Heres a sample of the email that ICANN sends out regularly to domain owners.
And it clearly states that if you provide false information, they can cancel your domain registration.