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4 Professions Leveraging WHOIS to Stay Ahead

Who are the entities behind the domains on the Web? This question has nothing to do with stalking but is critical for various business activities.

Domainers, for instance, want this information to negotiate lucrative purchases while journalists might need it to set up interviews or get leads during investigations. The point is to get credible information and not just details from an “About Us” section.

Here’s where a WHOIS database download service comes in to assist professionals in their search. We’re covering this topic in details in our white paper WHOIS Databases: Business, Cybersecurity, and Many More Applications Explored. In this article, we’ll talk about a few areas tackled in that piece.

A Quick Review of WHOIS

WHOIS is a way to learn about how a domain was set up. It involves performing a search with the appropriate lookup tool to find such information as domain owners’ names, phone numbers, physical and email addresses, domains’ registration dates, as well as the details about registrars and more.

All these can be procured in a single WHOIS record. However, it is also possible to get this information in bulk if data on multiple domains needs to be retrieved simultaneously. Professionals in various industries are already leveraging both options. These include:

The Sentinels of Cybersecurity

The extent of cybercrime has spurred the use of non-traditional approaches to counteract threat actors. By gaining access to WHOIS data, the existing techniques of cybersecurity teams can be enhanced to make identification and resolution of threats more effective.

WHOIS allows putting websites under the microscope to reveal if they are safe to interact with. For instance, specialists can examine domain ownership details such as registration or expiration dates to detect possible phishing exploits. WHOIS data can also be cross-examined with other DNS details to identify all the domains a suspect owns in order to block them.

The Magicians of Domains and Registrars

The job of domainers and registrars is not easy as they have to contend with the growing Internet landscape that has millions of website registrations yearly. Apart from that, they also need to make sure that the domains they use comply with the relevant rules and regulations.

With the help of WHOIS, these specialists can stay updated on domain name availability, receive updates on newly registered pages, and those that are about to expire. They can also confirm domain histories to identify dangerous domains and facilitate transfers.

The Wise Men of Marketing

In today’s digital world, marketing specialists know that the long-established techniques in their line of work aren’t as effective as they once were. In order to get ahead, they have to start going down non-conventional paths.

Experts in the field of marketing can take advantage of WHOIS Database Download to gain insights on both their audience and competition. They can keep track of the movement of domain registrations and acquisitions to recognize opportunities for expansion or detect upcoming trends to enhance the efficiency of marketing campaigns.

The Protectors of Trademarks

Issues with trademark infringement on the web can be highly expensive. Not only these disputes are difficult to address, but they can also lead to a ruined image and revenue loss in the long run. This is especially true when brand agents don’t have domain information on hand.

These professionals can use WHOIS lookups in various ways. They can monitor websites with similar names to identify malicious impersonators and avoid violations. Specialists can also keep an eye in domains registered by competitors and examine their names and registration details to foresee their next moves.

* * *

WHOIS database download services can be applied in various industries nowadays, and the professionals discussed in this article aren’t the only ones that can leverage this. Check out our white paper WHOIS Databases: Business, Cybersecurity, and Many More Applications Explored to learn who else can take advantage of WHOIS data and how.

By WhoisXML API, A Domain Research, Whois, DNS, and Threat Intelligence API and Data Provider

Whois API, Inc. (WhoisXML API) is a big data and API company that provides domain research & monitoring, Whois, DNS, IP, and threat intelligence API, data and tools to a variety of industries.

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