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Security in Domain Registration - what's all the hype about?
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By Richard Cottrell
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When it comes to registering your domain name and establishingyour presence online, there are fundamental aspects that need tobe taken into consideration in order to prevent unnecessaryhurdles from affecting both you and your customers.
Whether you are a small or large company, or simply interestedin setting up your own personal website, what you need areeffective solutions and the correct business tools at arespectable price to offer you peace of mind. I would stronglyrecommend not looking for cheap imitations of registrarsoffering you the best quality at ridiculously cheap prices asthey don't tend to go hand in hand. You should be looking for aregistrar that will provide you a service that offers guaranteedperformance, support, reliability, user-friendliness and, aboveall, SECURITY.
"But surely security is offered by all, right?", I hear you ask.Although this statement is generally correct, this securityaspect is often neglected by some registrars, even the top dogsin the business. Below are some key areas that you shouldconsider regarding registration security, and will hopefullyexplain - without all the technical jargon - and assist you indeciding which registrar company suits your needs andexpectations.
Why is security so important? Security issues adopted by theprincipal registration companies guarantee that your domain issafeguarded against domain highjackers or others who want totransfer your domain(s) to another registrar without yourspecific authorization. The knock-on effects will not only implyloosing your domain name but will also result in a costlydowntime of yours and your customers? websites. Furthermore, youcould even look at it as a direct attack on your onlineidentity, the traffic base you have worked so hard to attract onthe reputation of your service and products.
Password based security Let us take the example of Anakena.com,a leading European registrar whose company policy places animportant emphasis on security, real-time customer support and amultilingual service. They use a system whereby all yourcommunications are encrypted, which means that when you accessyour Anakena personal account page you are automaticallytransferred to a secured connection using the secured protocolhttps. This measure has been put in place to prevent possibleuses of 'sniffers' in your online connection. Furthermore, theirsecurity procedure also prevents anyone using your email toreset your password. The procedure is simple, and requests thatall those clients who have forgotten their password need toanswer 2 questions before receiving an email to reset their newone. If that security hurdle isn't enough to keep the mostdemanding client satisfied, then knowing that his/her passwordis then encrypted on the Anakena servers, where nobody is ableto see it, is just another reassuring and preventive measure. Asthe saying goes, it is always better to prevent than to cure(especially if the curing period comes too late!).
Payment Payment has always been a soft spot, due to the fear ofyour bank details, access codes and personal information fallinginto unknown hands. Not only this, but the majority of peoplewho purchase a product or service over the web also want to knowexactly how much it will cost (be sure to read the small print),what alternative payment methods exist and when you will getinvoiced. This equation might simplify this:
Consolidated Payment Options* + Secure & Automated Invoicing = RELIABLE PAYMENT PROCESS YOU CAN TRUST
* Direct Debit, Wire Transfer and PayPal
On another note, you probably ask yourself, "Who keeps recordsof my credit card details?". Well, Anakena, for example,doesn't. Every payment is made with your bank directly and theydo not have access to your card details. For them, there isnothing safer that your own bank processing your personalbanking needs.
Account Lock Another important factor you should consider whenchoosing the right registrar for you is the option of lockingyour account. The top players in the registration business maynot even offer this feature in their service, resulting ingreater exposure of your site to "domain predators" andinfringing on the safety elements that a registrar mightpromise. A lock on the account allows only the website owner tomodify features, personal information, and even transfer domainsto another registrar/customer. This locked status will remainuntil the owner wishes to remove it. The only downside to thisis that a registrar cannot modify illicit signups where acustomer doesn't include valid information. In the case ofAnakena, for example, this information is screened uponregistration and the company will contact the customer torequest further information in order to complete the signupprocess. Not only is the company looking out for the interest ofthe customer but also the partnership it hopes to consolidate inthe future.
Email notification The leading registrar companies, and the vastmajority of service providers online, have automated emailnotification systems set up that send you relevant news orupdates to the website, your account interface, etc. However,there have been examples in the past where companies orindividuals have not been informed instantly of technicalaspects or modifications to the service they receive from theparticular registrar. It may even be a question of days beforethey actually realise that something has been modified, causedby a failure to communicate effectively with their customers.But those companies who do, and devote paramount importance tokeeping their clients informed are consolidating themselves inthe market thanks to growing customer loyalty and a healthyincrease in their customer base.
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