Choosing the right domain registrar is a critical first step in securing your online presence. Beyond simply registering a domain, a reputable ICANN-accredited registrar offers essential security features such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), domain privacy protection (WHOIS masking), and transfer locks to prevent unauthorized changes.
While many registrars provide additional services like DNS management, web hosting, and email hosting, it’s important to remember that you can separate these services for better flexibility and security. In this guide, we’ll explore key security practices for protecting your domain, including choosing a secure registrar, using strong credentials, enabling MFA, and activating WHOIS privacy protection to safeguard your domain from cyber threats.
There are numerous domain registrars to choose from, many of which offer additional services such as web hosting, DNS management, and email hosting. However, it’s important to remember that you don’t have to rely on a single provider for all these services. Depending on your needs, you can distribute them across different providers to enhance security, flexibility, and performance.
Choosing your Registrar
I have chosen Go Daddy to host the my lab domain name bugnbyco.com.
Using strong, unique credentials for registrar accounts
Using strong, unique credentials for your registrar account is crucial. A compromised account gives attackers full control over your domain, allowing them to make unauthorized changes that could disrupt your services or facilitate cyber attacks. Ensure your password is strong, unique, and paired with multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add an extra layer of security.
Enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) for registrar accounts
Enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) on your registrar account is a fundamental security measure. If multiple users need access, it’s best to invite them to the account with their own separate login rather than sharing credentials. Additionally, enforce MFA for all users to minimize the risk of unauthorized access and strengthen overall security.
Domain privacy protection (WHOIS masking) to prevent information leakage
Most top-level domain (TLD) registrars offer WHOIS privacy protection, which conceals your personal information from public WHOIS records, protecting you from spammers and potential cyber threats. With this enabled, only the registrar can access your actual details. However, some domains, such as .com.au and .org, do not provide this protection, making registrant information publicly accessible by default. Some registrars, like GoDaddy, include WHOIS privacy as a standard feature for .com domains. Always check whether your chosen TLD supports privacy protection and enable it where possible to reduce exposure to threats.
Screenshot of WHOIS protection: On the left, the details visible to the registrar, and on the right, the redacted information that is publicly accessible.
A domain transfer occurs when you move a domain from one registrar to another. This process requires a domain transfer authorization code (sometimes called an EPP code or domain password), which must be provided to the new registrar to initiate the transfer.
However, if transfer lock (also known as registrar lock) is enabled, even if an attacker obtains the correct domain transfer code, they will still be unable to move the domain without first accessing your current registrar account. This means they would need to bypass both your login credentials and multi-factor authentication (MFA) to proceed.
Enabling transfer lock is a simple but essential security measure to prevent unauthorized domain hijacking and ensure that only authorized users can initiate domain transfers.
Summary
Securing your domain name involves more than just registering it—it requires proactive security measures to prevent unauthorized access and domain hijacking. By choosing a trusted registrar, using strong, unique credentials, enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA), and activating WHOIS privacy and transfer locks, you can significantly reduce the risk of cyber threats targeting your domain.
By implementing these best practices, you ensure that your domain remains secure, private, and under your control. Regularly reviewing your registrar security settings and monitoring domain activity will further enhance your protection. If you’re serious about domain security, taking these steps is essential to maintaining a safe and resilient online presence.