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Frequently asked questions

  • I am looking for a domain name registrant. Where can I look it up?

    The Whois is an easy-to-use tool for checking the availability of a .nl domain name. If the domain name is already taken, you can see who has registered it.

    On the page looking up a domain name you will find more information about what a domain name is, how the Whois works and how the privacy of personal data is protected. Alternatively, you can go straight to look for a domain name via the Whois.

  • I would like to transfer my domain name to another registrar. What is the procedure?

    To get your domain name transferred, you need the token (unique ID number) for your domain name. Your existing registrar has the token and is obliged to give it to you within five days, if you ask for it. The procedure for changing your registrar is described on the page transferring your domain name.

  • The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date. How can I get them updated?

    To update the contact details associated with your domain name, you need to contact your registrar. Read more about updating contact details.

  • Why is my domain name in quarantine?

    When a domain name is cancelled, we aren't told the reason, so we can't tell you. You'll need to ask your registrar. The advantage of quarantine is that, if a name's cancelled by mistake, you can always get it back.

    One common reason is that the contract between you and your registrar says you've got to renew the registration every year. If you haven't set up automatic renewal and you don't renew manually, the registration will expire.

  • Ik heb een klacht over mijn provider/registrar. Kan ik daarvoor bij SIDN terecht?

    Wanneer je een klacht hebt over of een geschil met je registrar dan zijn er verschillende mogelijkheden om tot een oplossing te komen. Hierover lees je meer op pagina klacht over registrar. SIDN heeft geen formele klachtenprocedure voor het behandelen van een klacht over jouw registrar.

  • What conditions do I have to meet as a registrar?

    Would you like to be able to register domain names for customers or for your own organisation by dealing directly with SIDN? If so, you can become a .nl registrar. Read more about the conditions and how to apply for registrar status on the page becoming a registrar.

More frequently asked questions

Are SMEs ready for the growing cyber-threat?

  • Wednesday 6 November 2019

The number of cyberattacks on SMEs is rising. Not just in the Netherlands, but worldwide, as highlighted by the Global State of SMB Cybersecurity Study 2019. The study was based on a survey of 850 professionals in five different countries, most of whom thought higher investment in cybersecurity would be needed in the year ahead. Hot on the heels of that publication came a report by BDO Advisory, highlighting the vulnerabilities of SMEs. BDO's scan of 300,000 websites detected weaknesses in more than half.

So, are businesspeople aware of the threats and do they know what to do if they come under attack? For answers, we turned to the SIDN Panel: several dozen entrepreneurs, all with an active internet presence. What are they doing to defend against cybercrime? Of the twenty businesspeople on the panel, nineteen said that they had recently taken steps to stay safer on line. And six reported actually coming under cyberattack in the last year.

Business community knows how to respond

Businesspeople do think about security. That much is clear from the way our panellists responded when asked what they would do in a variety of cybercrime scenarios. They didn't have to think long before answering, and most said they had off-network backups, enabling them to quickly isolate infected machines and networks. Those who had recently suffered attacks were particularly well versed on response strategies, and were quite willing to take drastic action.

Cyberattacks are an everyday challenge

Notably, the panellists were quite open about the risks, saying that they were happy to talk about hacks that were potentially visible to the outside world (hacked sites and social media-accounts). Informing customers and business partners was seen as the priority. What's more, panel members said that they would be reluctant to end their business relationship with a firm that had come under attack. Anyone could fall victim to cybercrime, they felt.

Most SMEs don't have a regular cybersecurity service provider

Few smaller businesses have a cybersecurity specialist on the payroll, or a regular outside service provider. Suitable people are hard to find, and in great demand. Only two members of our twenty-strong business panel reported having a regular cybersecurity service provider. Almost all said that they would look for one if they hit a problem they couldn't resolve themselves. Whether they could actually find someone if the need arose is another question.

New services under development

Cybersecurity services for SMEs are still in their infancy. That's why we have been investing in the development of CyberSterk, a cybersecurity solution for SMEs.