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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  • The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date.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

How Radboud University Medical Centre uses domain name detection

“We're an authoritative organisation, and we don't want anyone exploiting our reputation without our knowledge and consent”

Flags in front of the Radboudumc building in Nijmegen
  • Wednesday 18 September 2024

Domain name abuse affects all sectors of the economy, including health care. Hackers hijack domain names with the aim of accessing confidential data, and online applications can often be accessed using old e-mail addresses. Many health care organisations therefore protect themselves by using domain name monitoring services. A good example is the Radboud University Medical Centre in the Dutch city of Nijmegen, which started with SIDN BrandGuard 18 months ago. The centre's Senior Online Advisor Bruno van de Laar talks about the practicalities of fighting domain name abuse.

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your role?

Bruno van de Laar, Senior Online Advisor at Radboudumc
Bruno van de Laar, Senior Online Advisor at Radboudumc

“As Online Advisor, I'm responsible for the development team that manages and works on the medical centre's website and intranet, plus maybe 20 allied websites. I also act as coordinating web content editor.”

What prompted the medical centre to start using domain name detection?

“Many of the organisation's initiatives involve publishing information and reaching out to particular target audiences. Domain names are often registered to support those activities, and domain name detection flags up those registrations for us at an early stage. We can then get in touch with the relevant people to discuss their needs and the best way to communicate with their target audience. We also advise them on how to achieve their aims in a way that's consistent with our brand policy and maintains security.”

How does domain name detection align with your online/cybersecurity strategy?

“First and foremost, of course, we want to make sure that no one is using our name for any undesirable purpose. We're an authoritative organisation, and we don't want anyone exploiting our reputation without our knowledge and consent. If we discover that someone is trying to do that, we intervene immediately.

We also think it's important to check all the domain names that people and departments within the medical centre want for their activities. Our online team can then advise them on whether a separate website is appropriate for the activity in question, or whether maybe it would be better to find somewhere for the information on the corporate website. That way, we make sure that our communications remain consistent and recognisable, and that our brand is protected. It also avoids situations arising where the same information is shared in various places, complicating the task of keeping it updated. Our Information Management Department won't add a domain name to the portfolio until it's been approved. If we come across a domain name registered without our involvement, we contact the registrant and, where appropriate, we get control of the domain transferred to us. So we can make sure that domain names are added to our DNS correctly, that websites have appropriate certificates for encryption, and that they're renewed on time.”

How do you organise monitoring and follow-up? What role do you and your team play in those activities?

“My role involves keeping an eye on what new domain names are being registered. Where necessary, I respond by writing to whoever has registered a relevant domain name. That might be someone within the medical centre, in which case I provide them with help. Or it might be an outsider, who has registered a domain that's like the Radboud's name for personal gain.”

What kinds of domain name do you typically come across?

“The majority of domain names I see have been registered for initiatives linked to the medical centre or Radboud University.”

“There's definitely more awareness of malicious domain names. Various incidents have made the news in recent times, and that has helped to make people aware of the risks. It's also helpful that browsers nowadays have better security. For example, with one typo domain that I came across, if you tried to visit the associated site using the Edge browser, you got a warning saying that the site didn't look genuine. On the other hand, scammers are getting more and more sophisticated. So it's important to stay alert.”

Want to know more about SIDN BrandGuard?

Visit our product page or contact our Domain Name Specialist Peter Rotgans by calling +31 630 251 564 or mailing peter.rotgans@sidn.nl.