Domain Registration Related News
Domain Transfers (and Hijackings) to Become
Easier
November 2004
Domain registrars are warning customers that
their domain names could become easier to hijack
as a change in domain transfer rules takes effect
Friday. Under new rules set by the Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN),
domain transfer requests will be automatically
approved in five days unless they are explicitly
denied by the current registrar.
This is a change from current procedure, in which
a domain's ownership and nameservers remain
unchanged if the current registrar receives no
response from a domain owner to a transfer
request. Update: Some domain providers say
concerns about fraudulent transfers are overblown,
noting that ICANN's guidelines still require
registrars requesting a transfer from another
provider to seek approvals from a domain owner.
The changes could mean trouble for domain owners
who don't closely manage their records. Registrars
are warning that domains with incorrect e-mail
addresses and outdated administrative contact
information could be at particular risk, as the
domain's WHOIS database information will be used
to inform domain owners of transfer requests.
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