Domain name hijack protection

• US 8,751,685 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2010
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company LLC (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company LLC (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Parsons, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Philip B
• Application Number:
  US12/722,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20100175137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 709/245, 709223-224, 709/220, 709/217
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/986 Document structures and storage, e.g. HTML extensions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/302 Administrative registration, e.g. for domain names at internet corporation for assigned names and numbers [ICANN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1466 Active attacks involving interception, injection, modification, spoofing of data unit addresses, e.g. hijacking, packet injection or TCP sequence number attacks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A domain name registering entity (such as a domain registry, registrar, or reseller) or an independent proxy registration service may offer a domain name hijack protection to their actual or potential customers. When a domain name transfer request or notice is received in a proxy email address listed in the domain name'"'"'s WHOIS records, the domain name registering entity or the proxy registration service may ignore or decline it. Customers may be given an ability to turn the domain name hijack protection service on and off, as well as an ability to adjust a variety of settings associated with the service.

Claims

1. A method, executed on one or more computers, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a domain name transfer notice via a proxy email address stored in a WHOIS record and which differs from an actual email address associated with a domain name registered to a customer using the contact information of a proxy registration service provider for a private registration, and

b) declining said domain name transfer notice without forwarding said domain name transfer notice to a registrant of said domain name.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of:

c) registering said domain name prior to receiving said domain name transfer notice.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of:

c) offering a domain name hijack protection service prior to receiving said domain name transfer notice.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising a step of:

d) applying said domain name hijack protection service to said domain name.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising a step of:

d) providing an ability to turn said domain name hijack protection service on or off.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of:

c) applying said private registration to said domain name prior to receiving said domain name transfer request.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said steps a) and b) are performed by a domain name registering entity.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said steps a) and b) are performed by said proxy registration service provider.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of:

c) informing said registrant that said domain name transfer notice was declined.

10. A method, executed on one or more computers, comprising the steps of:

a) offering a domain name private registration service registering, using the contact information of a proxy registration service provider, a domain name to a customer,

b) receiving a request from a customer for said domain name private registration service,

c) applying said domain name private registration service to said domain name,

d) offering a domain name hijack protection service,

e) receiving a request from said customer for said domain name hijack protection service for said domain name,

f) applying said domain name hijack protection service to said domain name,

g) receiving, via a proxy email address stored in a WHOIS record and which differs from an actual email address of said customer, a domain name transfer notice for said domain name

h) declining said domain name transfer notice, and

i) notifying said customer that said domain name transfer notice was declined.