Domain locking, also known as Registrar Lock, Domain Transfer Lock, or Domain Theft Protection, is a crucial feature in domain name management. It is a security feature designed to prevent unauthorized transfers of a domain name to another registrar or owner.
Domain locking safeguards domain names from unauthorized changes and transfers by ensuring that any modification to the domain settings, like transferring to another registrar or changing DNS details, can only be done when the domain is explicitly unlocked.
When domain locking is enabled, it helps protect your domain by preventing:
1. Unauthorized Transfers:
No one can transfer your domain to another registrar or owner without your explicit approval.
A locked domain can't be moved to another registrar unless it's unlocked by the domain owner or administrator. This prevents accidental or unauthorized domain transfers.
2. Accidental Modifications:
The domain's settings, like nameservers and contact information cannot be modified without first unlocking the domain. Therefore, besides the transfer restrictions, locking a domain helps to stop unauthorized users from altering vital domain settings like DNS configurations and contact details.
3. Domain Hijacking (Theft):
Domain locking prevents hackers or malicious users from stealing your domain by requesting a transfer or unauthorized changes. If a malicious user tries to hijack or transfer your domain without your consent, the domain lock acts as a barrier. Even if they have your domain details, they can't initiate a transfer while it's locked.
How Domain Locking Works
When you register a domain, the registrar typically provides an option to lock it.
A domain that is locked will reject any transfer requests automatically.
To transfer the domain, you need to log into your domain registrar's control panel, unlock the domain, and then proceed with the transfer. Once the transfer is complete, you can re-enable the lock.
The Transfer Process
When a transfer is initiated, the losing registrar sends a notification to the registered domain holder.
If the domain is locked, the transfer request will be rejected.
If the domain is unlocked, the transfer will proceed after certain approvals (via email or EPP code).
Domain Locking Enhances Overall Domain Security
Domain locking is an extra layer of security to prevent domain hijacking, especially important for businesses or individuals with valuable domains. It's typically recommended for all domain owners, especially those running websites critical to their operations, like e-commerce or corporate sites.
By enabling domain locking, you're taking an essential step to protect your online assets and ensuring that any changes or transfers can only happen under your supervision.
To make any changes or transfer the domain, you need to temporarily disable the registrar lock (unlock the domain), after which you can lock it again once the process is complete.
