The desk

Behind The Domain

Reporting and explainers on what sits behind a website's address: the registration record, the registrar account and the people responsible for both.

Behind The Domain is where we work through the questions website owners actually run into. Why does a lookup come back redacted? What does a privacy or proxy service change about who controls a domain? How do registrar accounts get taken over, and how do you tell a real business from a convincing copy?

Articles are written by Nathan Cole, the disclosed editorial pen name of our content team, and checked against primary sources such as ICANN policy pages, registry documentation and registrar terms. We don't publish guides to unmasking registrants, evading lawful requests or getting around registrar security. When registration policy changes, the affected pieces get updated and the date says so.