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 Registrars are warning that domains with incorrect e-mail addresses and outdated administrative contact information could be at particular risk, as the domain's WHOIS database information will be used to inform domain owners of transfer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.