UK — The Register
ICANN testing tech to let law enforcement access non-public WHOIS info
Policy1 min read
ICANN, the group that manages internet names and addresses, is testing a way for police and other law enforcement agencies to ask for hidden WHOIS contact data in urgent cases. The cases include threats to life, critical infrastructure, or child exploitation.
What happened
ICANN has started testing login systems, called authentication schemes. These let law enforcement agencies send urgent requests for non-public WHOIS information. WHOIS is a public record of who owns a website domain. An internal ICANN group presented its progress at the annual meeting in Bali, Indonesia.
Why WHOIS data is hidden
Domain registrars are companies that sell website names. In the past, the owner's contact details in WHOIS records were public. Some registrars now hide these details to protect privacy. Privacy laws such as GDPR, a European data protection law, sometimes require this. This makes it harder for police to contact a domain owner when a domain is used for malware, phishing, or other crimes.
Key facts
- ICANN defines an urgent case as an imminent threat to life, serious bodily injury, critical infrastructure, or child exploitation.
- Registrars have 24 hours to answer a request.
- For complex requests, registrars can take up to 72 hours.
- ICANN is testing this with the FBI and Interpol.
How it would work
ICANN prefers a method called SAML, which lets approved users log in once to a single system. Law enforcement users would log into ICANN's Registration Data Request Service (RDRS) and file requests there. ICANN then passes each request to the registrar that sold the domain. ICANN also plans to limit who can ask by having agencies name certain staff members. Those staff would use a shared token to prove they are allowed to make requests.
Why it matters
This could help police act faster against harmful websites and protect people. Some people worry that it could lead to misuse. Supporters point out that registrars Namecheap and Verisign backed the idea during the session. Other ICANN policy groups will still decide the rules for fair use.
Glossary
- ICANN
- The organization that helps manage internet names and addresses, including the WHOIS system.
- WHOIS
- A public database that shows who registered a website domain and how to contact them.
- GDPR
- A European Union law that protects people's personal data.
- SAML
- A login standard that lets users sign in once and access approved systems.
- RDRS
- ICANN's Registration Data Request Service, where law enforcement can file requests for hidden WHOIS data.