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Frequently visited

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  • The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date.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

Police could have prevented hack

For eighteen months, an ethical hacker received information intended for the Dutch police by claiming previously cancelled domain names. The hacker said that the police could have prevented the data falling into unauthorised hands by using SIDN BrandGuard. And what about you? Are you making the same mistake?

The security incident happened after the police cancelled a large number of domain names as part of a reorganisation. Some were picked up by ethical hacker Wouter Slotboom. When he started getting mail meant for the police, he told them what was happening, but got no reply. So Wouter took his story to the media. He highlighted the fact that the police could have prevented the information leaking out by using SIDN BrandGuard. The police are by no means alone in failing to guard against problems. Earlier research by SIDN revealed that many domain names incorporating the Netherlands' top fifty brand names had been registered by people other than the brand owners. No fewer than 675 phishing sites with domain names that echoed leading brands were detected.

What's SIDN BrandGuard for?

SIDN BrandGuard protects brands on line by looking out for registrations that look like brand names. In the .nl zone, there are 1,786 domain names that include the Dutch word for 'police'. About 1,500 of them aren't registered to a police force. If the police had used SIDN BrandGuard, they would have been warned whenever anyone registered a suspicious domain name, enabling them to intervene in appropriate cases.

How does SIDN BrandGuardwork?

SIDN BrandGuard has three components:

  • The profiler scans the websites linked to flagged-up domain names and labels them as phishing sites, normal sites or advertising sites.

  • Whois information enables the brand owner to contact the registrants of suspicious domain names.

  • SIDN BrandGuard's supporting workflow environment enables users to coordinate response action with colleagues.

What are the benefits?

  • A clear picture of the domain names in existence that incorporate or resemble your brand name

  • Information about who has registered the domain names in question

  • Alerts whenever suspicious new domain names are registered

  • A proper overview of the domain names landscape for your organisation

For more information about SIDN BrandGuard, contact Pim Pastoors.

Article by:

Pim Pastoors

Pim Pastoors

Product Owner

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