# Balancing Cybersecurity and Individual Privacy – New Whois Data Protections in 2018
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2018-01-23
Category: TECHNOLOGY
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/technology
Meta Title: Whois Data Security in 2018: Challenges and Solutions
Meta Description: Discover how DomainTools is leading the way in utilising Whois data for cybersecurity, ensuring security and protection for individuals and organisations.
URL: https://financedigest.com/balancing-cybersecurity-and-individual-privacy-new-whois-data-protections-in-2018html

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By **Tim Chen,** CEO, DomainTools

Who is data is at a crossroads in 2018, under duress from [EU data protection regulations](https://eu.vocuspr.com/Tracking.aspx?Data=HHL%3d%40%2c%3a1%3a%26JDG%3c%3b493919%26SDG%3c%3a0%3c2&RE=MC&RI=7254997&Preview=False&DistributionActionID=40172&Action=Follow+Link), from within [ICANN itself](https://eu.vocuspr.com/Tracking.aspx?Data=HHL%3d%40%2c%3a1%3a%26JDG%3c%3b493919%26SDG%3c%3a0%3c2&RE=MC&RI=7254997&Preview=False&DistributionActionID=40171&Action=Follow+Link), and even from the [Registrars and Registries that collect and store this data](https://eu.vocuspr.com/Tracking.aspx?Data=HHL%3d%40%2c%3a1%3a%26JDG%3c%3b493919%26SDG%3c%3a0%3c2&RE=MC&RI=7254997&Preview=False&DistributionActionID=40170&Action=Follow+Link). Yet the security and protection of individuals, employees, customers, brands, Intellectual Property and a host of other important assets and constituencies depend on understanding who owns and controls resources on the internet.

For nearly 20 years DomainTools has been at the forefront of enabling Whois data for productive use by security practitioners. We look forward to continuing to do so for the [next 20 years](https://www.financedigest.com/global-crypto-regulation-body-likely-in-next-year-top-official-says.html "Global crypto regulation body likely in next year, top official says"), but to accomplish this we need to be part of the solution and take extra steps to ensure we are never part of the problem. Our enduring goal in 2018 is continued access to Whois [data and the research tools it enables](https://www.financedigest.com/seenthis-launches-emissions-dashboard-to-enable-advertisers-to-analyse-data-reduction-and-emission-savings-on-campaigns.html "SeenThis launches Emissions Dashboard to enable advertisers to analyse data reduction and emission savings on campaigns") for individuals and organizations fighting all types of online abuse.

A [limited number of nefarious actors continue to abuse Whois data](https://www.financedigest.com/omicron-poses-very-high-risk-but-data-on-severity-limited.html "Omicron poses ‘very high’ risk but data on severity limited"), mostly to run spam campaigns against new domain registrants. The right response here is to fight that abuse rather than redesign or regulate a working system, especially one where the [benefits to cybersecurity](https://www.financedigest.com/the-aftermath-of-covid-19-cybersecurity-crisis-have-the-attacks-benefitted-the-industry-more-than-they-hurt-it.html "The Aftermath of COVID-19 Cybersecurity Crisis: Have The Attacks Benefitted the Industry More Than They Hurt It?") are orders of magnitude greater than the costs of the limited abuse. In the spirit of fighting Whois abuse, DomainTools has a strong history including limiting anonymous Whois lookups, using image files so email addresses in our Whois records cannot be scraped, and applying strong know-your-customer and use-case validations for any Enterprise-level customers with access to higher volume query tools. But we need to do more.

As of today, unauthenticated users of the DomainTools [Whois Lookup tool](https://eu.vocuspr.com/Tracking.aspx?Data=HHL%3d%40%2c%3a1%3a%26JDG%3c%3b493919%26SDG%3c%3a0%3c2&RE=MC&RI=7254997&Preview=False&DistributionActionID=40169&Action=Follow+Link) will not see personally identifiable information for the registrant parsed out in the results, and will be required to submit a CAPTCHA to see the full raw domain name Whois record. Phone numbers in the parsed results have been replaced with image files, much the same way emails have always been rendered. DomainTools iOS and Android apps as well as the DomainTools [Developer API have also been deprecated as anti-abuse measures](https://www.financedigest.com/quality-control-measures-for-drug-development-are-of-utmost-importance-as-inadvertent-presence-of-unknown-pharmaceutical-ingredients-can-further-complicate-health-conditions-of-the-patients.html "Quality control measures for drug development are of utmost importance as inadvertent presence of unknown pharmaceutical ingredients can further complicate health conditions of the patients."). In addition, on February 20, DomainTools will be deprecating legacy tools that allow individual users to do high volume Whois lookups, as these are the most prone to potential abuse. We aim to maintain effective tools for all our users while focusing the [higher volume](https://www.financedigest.com/ds-smith-says-cardboard-box-volumes-strong-flags-higher-costs.html "DS Smith says cardboard box volumes strong; flags higher costs") and more sophisticated research tools on Enterprise customers who by definition are individually qualified by the DomainTools team. Affected customers have been notified of these pending changes. Enterprise-level customers of DomainTools are not affected by these changes.

Whois [data plays a critical role in the security](https://www.financedigest.com/cyber-security-data-re-assurance.html "Cyber Security: Data ‘Re’-Assurance") and stability of the Domain Name System, a distributed, open, trust-based system that has stood the test of time. DomainTools believes that a fair balance can be achieved between [security and privacy on the Internet](https://www.financedigest.com/embedded-security-for-internet-of-things-market-2021-by-global-key-players-types-applications-countries-industry-size-and-forecast-to-2027.html "Embedded Security For Internet Of Things Market 2021 by Global Key Players, Types, Applications, Countries, Industry Size and Forecast to 2027"). It remains our hope that organizations who are gatekeepers of Whois data, whether in policy or in function, will continue to work [constructively towards](https://www.financedigest.com/the-orange-essential-oil-market-to-move-towards-constructive-advancements.html "The Orange Essential Oil Market To Move Towards Constructive Advancements") an outcome which preserves the necessary and useful functions of today’s Whois protocol. DomainTools will be doing our part as well, and today’s actions are an example of that.


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