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  • The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date.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

Visitor data insecure on 9 out of 10 business websites

  • Wednesday 8 February 2017

About 86 per cent of the Dutch business websites that process sensitive data don't have adequate security. As well as putting visitors' personal details at risk, that means the website owners' turnover is increasingly vulnerable.

The findings come from joint research by MKB Servicedesk (SME Service Desk) and SIDN, manager of the .nl domain. The study analysed nearly 780,000 business websites with .nl addresses (excluding webshops). Out of almost 429,000 business websites that processed sensitive data, just over 367,000 (85.6 per cent) weren't using SSL encryption. (For comparison: 44 per cent of government websites now use SSL to make data unreadable for outsiders.)

A website with SSL encryption can be recognised by 'https://' in front of its address and by the padlock icon in the browser's address bar. If the site uses the most comprehensive version (EV SSL), the browser shows the business name in the address bar, within a green panel. So users can be sure who owns the website. Just 0.3 per cent of the business websites that process sensitive data are set up for EV SSL.

Under the Data Protection Act, any website that processes passwords, personal data or payment information has to be properly secured. The Data Protection Authority recommends using SSL or another modern encryption technology. In the last resort, the Authority can impose a penalty of € 4,500 on website owners that don't comply. "The legal requirements about ICT security have been tightened up a lot," observes Willem Overbosch, Director of the enterprise platform MKB Servicedesk. "For example, since the start of 2016, the reporting of data breaches has been mandatory for businesses. Yet, just over a year later, many entrepreneurs don't really know about the new rules, or have no idea what's expected of them. So we have greatly increased our efforts to draw attention to the issue."

All Dutch webshops – of which there are now more than 80,000 – use SSL certificates for their payment facilities. "That's because the organisations that handle the payment traffic insist on it, of course," points out Michiel Henneke, Marketing Manager at SIDN. "However, only 3.3 per cent of them are using the extended type, as indicated by the green address bar panel. Consumers are getting used to the idea that the green panel means security and tend to prefer using webshops that have that."

For some time now, Google has 'penalised' websites that don't use the SSL protocol by showing them lower down in search results. And, since 1 January of this year, browsers such as Chrome and Firefox explicitly warn of an 'insecure connection'. However, nearly all visitors simply close the warning and carry on. "If as a business you invest a lot in making your site easy to find, it's a great shame to lose trade for want of the right kind of security," stresses Willem Overbosch of MKBServicedesk.nl. "Especially since enabling encryption is very straightforward and costs very little. Some service providers will enable it for free. So there's no longer any reason not to get your security in order."

SSL types

Explanation

DV SSL (Domain Validated SSL)

The most common type. Secures only traffic between a website and a visitor.

OV SSL (Organisation Validated SSL)

Like DV SSL, but the identity of the applicant is checked as part of the application process.

EV SSL (Extended Validation SSL)

The most recognisable type. If in use, the website has an obvious green bar at the top and the applicant's business name is prominently displayed. The application process involves detailed checks on the applicant's identity and authorisation.