WHOIS

WHOIS is an Internet protocol used to look up information about a domain or IP address, such as its owner, their contact details, and when the domain or IP was registered. It is used by network administrators to determine ownership of a domain, as well as to verify the security and trustworthiness of any website.

WHOIS queries are sent by the client or server to an authoritative WHOIS server to retrieve information about domains and IPs. WHOIS was originally designed in 1982 as a database for managing contacts for ARPANET. In the 1990s, the advent of the World Wide Web saw an increased need for a way to lookup ownership of domain names.

WHOIS is structured in such a way that the information is stored in a public database, allowing anyone to access the information. It contains information such as domain owners, the IP address associated with a domain name, and when the domain was registered. This information is valuable for verifying the authenticity of a website, finding out who owns a domain or IP, and determining whether a domain has expired.

The centralized WHOIS database is managed by ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. In order to facilitate international domain name ownership, ICANN has instituted a “thick” WHOIS model, which stores much more detailed information, including addresses, postal codes, and phone numbers. WHOIS is also an important tool for law enforcement organizations, allowing them to trace domains or IPs used in criminal activities.

At present, WHOIS data is still publicly accessible, but ICANN has stricter requirements for accessing the information. This is in part due to the GDPR, or General Data Protection Regulation, which is a set of regulations designed to protect individuals’ personal data. As a result, WHOIS lookup services are subject to the same regulations that other companies offering services related to personal data are.