Registrant’s Guide to Protecting Domain Names
ICANN’s Security and Stability Advisory Committee recently released “A Registrants Guide to Protecting Domain Name Registration Accounts”.
Recognising that the operational value of an active domain name can be of critical importance to large and small businesses alike, the report describes threats and preventative measures that registrants should consider to protect their domain name registration accounts and the names they contain.
Tips include knowing who is authorised to access the account, using complex passwords and changing passwords if that person should leave the organisation. Registrants are also advised to ensure the email addresses listed in connection with the account are not in anyway associated with the domain, and preferably hosted by another service altogether. Key email accounts should be strengthened by client authentication and encryption.
The guide also advises that registrants maintain all related documentation in case disputes or other situations arise where there is a need to provide proof of registration and related activity.
Routine monitoring to detect suspicious or unusual activity is best practice across networking and security disciplines and should apply to domain name management as well. For example, the guide advises to monitor domain name registrations using a WHOIS service to ensure the details are up to date and have not been altered by an unauthorized third party who may be planning further mischief.
The 33 page “A Registrants Guide to Protecting Domain Name Registration Accounts” can be downloaded here (PDF)
ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) a not-for-profit, public-benefit corporation dedicated to keeping the Internet secure, stable and interoperable.
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