Whois info?

idyllhands · 07-14-2008, 09:10 PM

Hi, just wondering what are the dangers of having my personal info listed on the whois query for my domain. Is there anyway to change what is listed? And are there any free "privacy" services for whois info?

**jamiemac2005** · 07-15-2008, 08:11 AM

hmm, i don't know of many real dangers, it's common that people will use whois info as a stepping stone towards hacking but as long as your site/whatever is secure you shouldn't have a problem. I may be very wrong but someone else would need to clarify that. As for privacy i don't know sorry.

Cheers,
Jamey

idyllhands · 07-16-2008, 09:31 PM

Is there a large risk of spammers getting it?

**jamiemac2005** · 07-17-2008, 08:14 AM

is this on a specific site, or your personal pc?

At the end of the day spammers tend to either stab in the dark and hope they hit something or they get a list of e-mails/sites to spam and do it in a robotic way... I don't think it should be a problem...

Cheers,
Jamey

**DonaldG** · 07-21-2008, 01:22 AM

When registering a domain name, there is, if I remember correctly, the option to not publish the registrants details

**sobeit** · 07-22-2008, 07:11 AM

you will get spammed from your whois listing. I have in the past from other registrars who tried to trick me into renewing and transfering my domain to them by sending me a bill.

Some registrars will let you hide your information for a price - one such place is godaddy.

**jamiemac2005** · 07-22-2008, 08:34 AM

Cheers for the clarity Sobeit, i hadn't a clue =]

idyllhands · 07-25-2008, 12:04 PM

Can I just fill in info that doesn't reveal my address? Like, just type in "Address protected" in the fields, and use a junk email?

**sobeit** · 07-25-2008, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by idyllhands

Can I just fill in info that doesn't reveal my address? Like, just type in "Address protected" in the fields, and use a junk email?

no you cannot. read the term of use. You must use your real name and address.

Slapshot · 07-31-2008, 07:06 AM

Most good domain providers come with free WHOIS protection already. I strongly reccomend you get it for your privacy though if its not free. And don't use fake information, if anyone suspects your using fake WHOIS information they can report your domain to ICANN and your domain could get suspended.

idyllhands · 08-02-2008, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slapshot

Most good domain providers come with free WHOIS protection already. I strongly reccomend you get it for your privacy though if its not free. And don't use fake information, if anyone suspects your using fake WHOIS information they can report your domain to ICANN and your domain could get suspended.

Sorry to trouble you, but could you list a few that offer the free WHOIS protection? I used godaddy to register my domains, but they want to charge me every year to protect them, which to me is kind of annoying, since all that they are doing is allowing me to use their name on my whois page. I could see charging me if they were a 3rd party--at least then I could justify it as paying them to maintain my information in a database, but godaddy already has my info on file.

One other thread of questions: can I use a 3rd party to protect my whois, or am I required to use the registrar who I registered the domain with? And if I am able to use a 3rd party, could I not just set up my own company in order to protect the info? Or does the company need to pass some sort of ICANN requirements? I'm not trying to anonymize my site for any kind of illicit reasons, I just don't want spammers eating up my info.

Slapshot · 08-02-2008, 05:15 PM

www.sibernames.com offers free WHOIS protection, I use them.

I don't know about doing it yourself, check ICANN's website.

I understand you don't want spammers getting your info, its fine. A lot of spambots search WHOIS db's for emails and that kinda stuff btw.

07-14-2008, 09:10 PM	#1 (permalink)
idyllhands Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 17 OS: XP 64-bit	Whois info? Hi, just wondering what are the dangers of having my personal info listed on the whois query for my domain. Is there anyway to change what is listed? And are there any free "privacy" services for whois info?

07-15-2008, 08:11 AM	#2 (permalink)
jamiemac2005 Design Team Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Northampton, UK Posts: 937 OS: Win Vista Home Premium & Ubuntu Hardy(8.04)	Re: Whois info? hmm, i don't know of many real dangers, it's common that people will use whois info as a stepping stone towards hacking but as long as your site/whatever is secure you shouldn't have a problem. I may be very wrong but someone else would need to clarify that. As for privacy i don't know sorry. Cheers, Jamey __________________ Help fight cancer. < I just started =]

07-16-2008, 09:31 PM	#3 (permalink)
idyllhands Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 17 OS: XP 64-bit	Re: Whois info? Is there a large risk of spammers getting it?

07-17-2008, 08:14 AM	#4 (permalink)
jamiemac2005 Design Team Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Northampton, UK Posts: 937 OS: Win Vista Home Premium & Ubuntu Hardy(8.04)	Re: Whois info? is this on a specific site, or your personal pc? At the end of the day spammers tend to either stab in the dark and hope they hit something or they get a list of e-mails/sites to spam and do it in a robotic way... I don't think it should be a problem... Cheers, Jamey __________________ Help fight cancer. < I just started =]

07-21-2008, 01:22 AM	#5 (permalink)
DonaldG Moderator Articles Team Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Somerset, UK Posts: 7,693 OS: XPsp2 Laptop & Vista Ultimate Desktop My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Whois info? When registering a domain name, there is, if I remember correctly, the option to not publish the registrants details __________________ Submit New Articles Join the TSF Team for the Folding@Home Project. I did! Enter TSF Team number 85015

07-22-2008, 07:11 AM	#6 (permalink)
sobeit TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: NEAR Posts: 5,410 OS: windows/linux	Re: Whois info? you will get spammed from your whois listing. I have in the past from other registrars who tried to trick me into renewing and transfering my domain to them by sending me a bill. Some registrars will let you hide your information for a price - one such place is godaddy. __________________ Do not feed the trolls.

07-22-2008, 08:34 AM	#7 (permalink)
jamiemac2005 Design Team Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Northampton, UK Posts: 937 OS: Win Vista Home Premium & Ubuntu Hardy(8.04)	Re: Whois info? Cheers for the clarity Sobeit, i hadn't a clue =] __________________ Help fight cancer. < I just started =]

07-25-2008, 12:04 PM	#8 (permalink)
idyllhands Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 17 OS: XP 64-bit	Re: Whois info? Can I just fill in info that doesn't reveal my address? Like, just type in "Address protected" in the fields, and use a junk email?

07-31-2008, 07:06 AM	#10 (permalink)
Slapshot Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 241 OS: Vista	Re: Whois info? Most good domain providers come with free WHOIS protection already. I strongly reccomend you get it for your privacy though if its not free. And don't use fake information, if anyone suspects your using fake WHOIS information they can report your domain to ICANN and your domain could get suspended.

08-02-2008, 05:15 PM	#12 (permalink)
Slapshot Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 241 OS: Vista	Re: Whois info? www.sibernames.com offers free WHOIS protection, I use them. I don't know about doing it yourself, check ICANN's website. I understand you don't want spammers getting your info, its fine. A lot of spambots search WHOIS db's for emails and that kinda stuff btw.