What Is WHOIS
WHOIS is a public database of domain registrations. Every domain owner must provide contact information when registering. WHOIS shows the registrant name, organization, email, creation and expiration dates, and name servers. Some domains use privacy protection to hide personal details.
How to Use WHOIS Data
Check if a domain is available. Verify domain ownership. See when a domain expires. Find the registrar and name servers. Investigate suspicious domains. WHOIS data helps with cybersecurity research and domain purchasing decisions.
WHOIS Privacy
GDPR changed WHOIS data availability. Many registrars now redact personal information. ICANN is working on a new system for accessing non-public WHOIS data. For most domains, you will see the registrar and expiration date but not the owner's personal details unless they opted out of privacy.