Managing your online presence takes more than just being mindful of what you share on social media and other platforms. It also requires protecting your domain name against spam, cyberattacks, and data breaches.

When you register a domain name, your contact information is recorded in a public database. This means anyone, including spammers and bots, can see your IP address, email address, and other personal details.

Some domain registrars, such as Wix, let you select the right level of protection for your domain name. If, say, you don’t want your contact details to be publicly available, simply choose this option when buying or transferring a domain.

The question is, should you pay for domain privacy protection? And what does this service entail? Here’s what you should know about it so you can make an informed decision.

What Is Domain Protection?

Domain protection is a practice aimed at safeguarding your domain from cyber threats and spam. It also secures your personal information by keeping it private.

As mentioned earlier, every registered domain appears in a public database. Think of it as a phonebook for domain names. It tells you when a domain was registered, when it’s going to expire, and other details, such as the registrant’s name, home or business address, and phone number.

The problem is that anyone can access these records to see who’s behind a domain name. This leaves the door open for spam and security risks like:

Domain hijacking, or domain theft
Domain Name System (DNS) spoofing
Email spoofing
Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks
Subdomain takeovers
Identity theft
Data breaches

Domain protection services can help you detect and prevent these issues, making your website more secure.

How Does Domain Protection Work?

Domain registrars provide varying levels of domain protection. These typically include:

Domain ownership protection: This service helps secure your domain name by locking it with a password. Anyone who wants to modify the domain (e.g., transfer it to a different web host or disable auto-renewal), must enter a one-time code.
Domain privacy: With this option, your contact information and domain name details in public domain databases will be replaced with the service provider’s information, as shown below.

Domain ownership protection varies from one registrar to the next.

For example, some service providers will set up DMARC on your domain. This acronym stands for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance, a security protocol that prevents email spoofing.

Most registrars also offer 24/7 domain monitoring and other services, such as domain locking and two-factor authentication. Each of these options adds an extra layer of security, mitigating the risk of unauthorized changes.

As far as domain privacy goes, you can get it as part of domain ownership protection or as a standalone service. Check with your registrar to see what options are available.

Do You Really Need Domain Protection?

The Domain Name System (DNS) is regulated by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). This organization requires domain registrars to ensure their records are accurate. Domain name registrants, on the other hand, must review and update their contact information once a year.

If your data is inaccurate or outdated, your domain registration may be suspended. This means you may not enter fake data when registering a domain name.

So, the only way to hide your personal or business details from public databases is to purchase domain privacy protection.

But what if you’re based in the European Union?

In this case, your personal data is protected under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). As a result, it won’t be publicly available upon domain registration.

However, registrars may still share your information with certain third parties, such as “trusted” vendors.

If you opt for domain privacy, the register can no longer disclose your name, address, and contact details to these other parties. They will reveal your information only if they receive a court order, subpoena, or other legally binding request.

The benefits are even greater for registrants who get full domain protection. This brings us to the next point…

Why is Domain Protection Important?

Domain ownership protection goes beyond safeguarding personal data. This service can also help prevent phishing, spoofing, domain theft, and other cyber threats.

Here’s a quick breakdown of its potential benefits:

Reduce Spam Emails

Full domain protection, which usually includes domain privacy, can reduce unwanted emails and phone calls. With this service, your personal information is hidden from the public eye, which can deter spammers.

Note that some domain names, such as those ending in .us, .fr., .de, and .ca, are not eligible for domain privacy. However, you can still hide your contact details from public databases with domain ownership protection.

Prevent Phishing Attacks

Most phishing attacks take place over email. Enhancing domain protection by leveraging email authentication protocols like DMARC, SPF, and DKIM can help reduce these threats by authenticating emails originating from your own domain. .

Protect Your Business from Cybersquatting

This type of cyberattack involves registering a domain name similar to that of an existing brand or business. It can take different forms, such as typosquatting, a practice where the newly registered domain contains a typo (e.g., “Goggle.com” instead of “Google.com), hyphen, or alternative spellings.

Cybersquatting attacks aim to trick users into visiting fake websites. The goal is to collect and use their personal information for illicit activities or to damage a company’s reputation.

Some registrars offer defensive domain registration as part of their domain protection plans. This service prevents hackers from buying domains that resemble your domain name and could be used for impersonating your business.

Avoid Domain Hijacking

Domain hijacking, or domain theft, occurs when cybercriminals take control of a domain without permission. Their actions can lead to reputation damage, financial loss, and severe legal consequences for the original domain name owner.

One way to mitigate these risks is to purchase domain protection. The service provider will monitor your domain and take the steps needed to prevent unauthorized actions, such as DNS changes.

Protect and Secure Customer Data

Cyberattacks often result in data breaches, exposing your customers to fraud. If that happens, you may be held liable for not taking measures to secure your website and protect consumer data.

Given these risks, it makes sense to opt for domain protection services. These often include early threat detection, real-time alerts, and DNS security protocols, such as Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC).

For instance, DNSSEC uses digital signatures to ensure visitors land on your website, not a spoofed version of it. Other technologies prevent hackers from changing nameservers, unlocking domains, or editing subdomain forwarding.

You can use our DNSSEC checker to quickly and easily assess your domain’s security.

Keep Your Domain Name Safe

Domain protection alone isn’t enough to prevent cyberattacks, but it can reduce the risk of unauthorized access, phishing, and other security incidents. Plus, it allows you to quickly react to these threats, minimizing their impact.

The best website builders offer domain registration and protection services for every budget. Depending on the provider, you may get domain privacy for free.

As always, for optimal domain protection and security, leveraging email authentication is of utmost importance, in addition to other security measures. PowerDMARC can help with this! Contact us today to get started.

About
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Ahona Rudra

Domain & Email Security Expert at PowerDMARC

Ahona is the Marketing Manager at PowerDMARC, with 5+ years of experience in writing about cybersecurity topics, specializing in domain and email security. Ahona holds a post-graduation degree in Journalism and Communications, solidifying her career in the security sector since 2019.

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