Registry Lock

Domain hijacking (aka domain theft) involves changing the registration of a domain name without the permission of its original registrant. This can sometimes involve illegally accessing and modifying domain name details, like owner data, nameservers on domain hosting, registrar platforms, or repointing the domain name to divert to a different website. Also, if full access to a domain name is possible and the authorization code can be retrieved, the domain can be transferred away, ultimately leading to the entire loss of the domain. Hijacked domain names are used for phishing, diversion of revenue, extortion, and other criminal activity.

A Registry Lock is a security mechanism designed to prevent accidental or malicious changes to a domain name record, like changing domain owner details, changing nameservers, or transferring the domain. A Registry Lock is applied by the registry operator of the Top Level Domain (TLD) and prevents any changes to the domain name unless suitable authentication data is presented by pre-authorized individuals from the registrar.

Because a Registry Lock is applied directly at the registry, it renders illegal or inadvertent changes to a domain name at the hosting or registrar level ineffective. The registry will refuse to implement any change requests unless a second set of authentication data is provided confirming that a change request has come from a legitimate and authenticated source. This level of security is highly valuable for protecting you and your customers’ domains.

It depends on which TLDs you are using as not all registry operators offer a Registry Lock service. It is important to understand which TLDs can be locked at the registry level, as well as what additional protection methods are available for domains that cannot be locked at the registry. We have one of the largest TLD offerings available for Registry Lock (50+), listed above by registry.

• Loss of trust in brand or reputation damage
• Breach of data protection laws
• Loss of revenue
• A phishing attack targeted at employees or clients

A Registry Lock uses multi-factor authentication to provide an additional level of verification before any changes to a domain name are authorized at the registry. While the overriding principle is the same for every top level domain, Registry Lock mechanisms are proprietary to each registry operator and different methods of authentication are used.

In working with CentralNic Reseller, we ensure your domains are locked to match the specific requirements of each registry.

• Domain modification (owner, nameserver)
• Domain transfer
• Domain deletion

No, a Registry Lock is independent of the registration length or the expiry of a domain name―it can be applied for a short period of time or for the duration of the domain name registration. Domains set with Registry Lock also ensure automatic renewals preventing unwanted domain expiration.

Each registry has its own fee structure and charging mechanism, some charge annually, others monthly. Due to the considerable administrative overhead of implementing Registry Lock, most registrars charge for setting up, changing, or removing a Registry Lock.

Typically, a Registry Lock will cost in the range of $100 – $500 per year. While this may appear expensive compared to the cost of registering a domain name, it is almost negligible compared with the loss of revenues, damage to reputation, and cost of recovering a hijacked domain name. For custom pricing, please contact your account manager or our sales team at the link below.