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  • The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date.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

Phishing requires proactive prevention

Finance professionals rely mainly on firewalls

Credit card lifted from a keyboard using a fishhook
  • Tuesday 9 November 2021

There were recently two notable publications. First, the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) published its figures for the first half of 2021. They included record numbers of recorded phishing attempts in January and June. The June figure topped a quarter of a million incidents worldwide. The week's other significant publication detailed the findings of a security awareness survey of finance professionals by AG Connect en Financieel Management. The report's central conclusion was that there's room for improvement.

Number of incidents up

Let's start with the APWG report. Its standout finding – that recorded phishing attempts have been at record levels this year – is noteworthy for a couple of reasons. First, because, following the first lockdown, the year's starting point was itself an incident rate double that seen in 2019, as highlighted in the APWG's report on 2020. Second, because, as malicious site detection systems improve, the average uptime of phishing sites is getting shorter all the time. However, the scammers are apparently undeterred. On the contrary, it seems they're seeking to compensate for faster shutdowns by putting up more fraudulent sites.

CEO fraud

For professionals working in finance, the APWG report should serve as a wake-up call. Not only is the financial services sector the most popular target, but the incidence of CEO fraud within the sector is also rising rapidly. In 2020, 22 per cent of phishing attempts were aimed at the sector, but in the first half of 2021 the figure was 29 per cent, according to the APWG. And that figure doesn't even include attempted cryptocurrency hijacks, which are also up sharply.

Lack of awareness

Against that backdrop, it's interesting to learn about the levels of risk awareness and preparedness amongst finance professionals. AG Connect en Financieel Management has interviewed two hundred people working in the sector. Most were aware of the risks, but relied largely on passive, technical defences, such as firewalls, for protection. Proactive reporting of phishing attempts and awareness campaigns were significantly less popular. Yet people are often the weakest link in the prevention chain. Surveyed professionals confirmed that picture, with only half declaring themselves satisfied with security awareness within their organisations.

E-mail security standards

On the technical side, there is also room for improvement. Only a minority of surveyed businesses (41 per cent) used secure internet standards for mail verification, for example. That's a great shame, because such standards can be very effective in the fight against threats such as mail spoofing. The survey findings shed no light on the use of domain name monitoring.

SIDN recommends prioritising the implementation of the DMARC, DKIM and DANE e-mail security standards. On our website, you'll find a useful checklist and practical guides on implementing the standards in the most popular mail server software packages, Exim and Postfix.

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