How ICANN Let us All Down and Has the WHOIS Database Died Yet

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How ICANN Let us All Down and Has the WHOIS Database Died Yet

Did you know that the database has been dying a slow death for years? I certainly did not until I read about it online recently. The WHOIS database is something that has been around forever, but very few people know if its existence. It has been around since the early 80s but not a lot of people use it anymore.

Why?

There could be a lot of reasons for people not using the WHOIS database or the entire death of WHOIS database, besides not knowing about it. Some say that the database has become nothing more than a cesspool for spammers and other online hackers. Some have also said that it has proven to be a tool that has run its course, especially given the latest technology development.

Now what?

Well, the database is something that is resourceful if used in the right way. However, there have been a lot of concerns. There is a silver lining though. The GDPR has placed new protections for online privacy, etc. There are still those who doubt the future of this platform. The database used to be considered one of the largest online directories to register your online site or domain.

Should ICANN be held responsible for ICANN’s failure regarding WHOIS database? That is a question a lot of people are asking. ICANN currently has ownership of the DNS part of the database. The DNS part of the database is one of the compartments that have faced breaches in the past. That has given a lot of people cause for concern. That is also one of the reasons why a lot of people blame ICANN’s failure regarding WHOIS Database.

ICANN has gone on the record as saying they are “working on it.” However, none of the proposals that have been brought up have come to light. That has given users more cause for concern. It has been brought to the attention of some that their security measures have not changed since the birth of the WHOIS database. That was back in 1988.

What about the GDPR?

Two years ago they did vote to have some extra security measures in place. These measures include things like allowing users to purge data they feel has been compromised and notifying anyone with an account of a security breach within a few days.

The Two Sides of the Database

There are a lot of users who find the tool very useful. In fact, there was an article recently about how the site broke down the doors of more than 1 million hackers and malicious content. The site cracked down and stripped their power away.

In spite of this good news, there are still a lot of users who feel the site has not down enough. What will happen next? There is one thing for certain. ICANN is the one who should be held largely responsible for what has happened. They are the only ones who can right the wrong for users who feel their information has been breached or infringed upon. Moving forward, every user is going to be punished for ICANN’s mistake if nothing changes in the near future.