Every website on the internet has a story behind it – who registered it, when, where it’s hosted, and what other domains are connected to it. All of that information is available through WHOIS and DNS records, and it’s one of the first places a security professional looks during passive recon.

WHOIS – Who Owns That Domain?

WHOIS is a public database that stores registration information for domain names and IP addresses. When someone registers a domain like targetcompany.com, they have to provide contact details – and unless they’ve paid for privacy protection, that information is publicly available.

A WHOIS lookup can reveal: Registrant name, email, phone number, and address. Domain registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.). Registration and expiration dates.

Part of the free Intro to Cyber course by Cover6 Solutions.