WHOIS

WHOIS is a protocol used to query databases that store information about registered domain names. When a domain is registered, the registrar collects information about the domain owner including name, address, email, phone number, registration date, and expiration date. This information is stored in the WHOIS database and can be queried by anyone. WHOIS lookups are essential for various purposes: verifying domain ownership, investigating potential trademark infringement, checking domain availability, and investigating suspicious websites. Privacy services (like WHOISGuard) can hide personal information from public WHOIS lookups. The GDPR has impacted WHOIS data privacy, limiting the publicly available information for domains registered in EU-compliant registrars. However, legitimate uses still have access to registration data through accredited registrars.