Whether you are an individual, organization, commercial business, or institute, the protection of your online presence is essential. So, a domain name is one of the most important parts of online business and its security has also a greater impact on the overall brand presence and reputation. Business owners can protect their domain names with a built-in protection feature known as EPP code. In this article, you will learn what is EPP Code, how it secures the domains, how you can get the EPP codes, and other ways to protect your domain names. After reading this guide, you will be able to protect your domain names from fraud or theft by implementing the best security practices.
Table of Contents
What is EPP Code?
Extensible Provisioning Protocol (Epp) is an application layer client-server protocol used for the management and provisioning of the objects stored in the shared repository. It is assigned to each domain by the registrar at the time of registration.
Domain authorization code or EPP key is one of the best safeguards against unauthorized transfers and is required whenever you need to transfer your domain names. The EPP code is a combination of a random string of letters and numbers. Whenever you need to transfer your domain to a new registrar, they need to verify your ownership for a successful transfer. It means EPP codes are generated by the current registrars and verified through other global registries.
How Does an EPP Code Secure a Domain?
EPP code is like a deed to a house and is required whenever you need to transfer the ownership of your domain or move from the management of one registrar to another. You must provide this auth code to prove your ownership which is required for successful domain transfer. Keep in mind, that there is no need to access the EPP code when you are going to transfer web hosting.
The EPP Code (or authorization key) acts as an additional password to your registered domain names and saves you from domain hijacking. Once you have an EPP code it means you are leaving no room for malicious actors to seize the domain without account access.
In case, a bad actor gains unauthorized access to your account, he can change the settings and transfer the ownership of your domain to another person. They try different identity theft methods to gain unauthorized access but they will be thwarted if you have a line of defense against their attacks. This defense line is known as the Authorization key or EPP code and is required to steal or transfer the domain.
How Can You Get The EPP Code?
Your EPP Code is securely stored in your account and used whenever you need to transfer your domain or want to change ownership. There are no complex and lengthy procedures for retrieving your authorization key. You can get the step-by-step instructions in their documentation and request them to get the auth code.
According to the ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), EPP Codes are only given out to the contact that is listed in the WHOIS information of any particular domain name. It means, that if anyone can get access to your domain management account then he can easily steal the information including auth codes. So, it is highly recommended to add extra security layers to both your account and domain names.
What Are The Other Ways To Protect Your Domain?
1. Choose a Security Focused Registrar
Try to choose a domain name registrar who employs a hardened portal that checks for security and code vulnerabilities regularly. The registrar must be able to show strong internal security controls and have a proven safety track record.
2. Set Up Multi-Factor Authentication
A lot of internal security controls need users to utilize multi-factor authentication, which gives you a strong, additional layer of safety in case login credentials are compromised. It’s also critical that login credentials to some accounts – especially to domain name, DNS, and website management accounts – are never shared, are assessed regularly, and have a limited number of authorized users.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) safety systems are fast becoming a requirement for many emails and other online services. The machine works by adding a requirement that a passkey or code be entered before obtaining a domain manager’s account.
In an account with 2FA, an authorization code is sent to an address that only the authentic domain owner ought to be able to get. By entering a password and verifying the specific code sent through the 2FA system, you’re proving twice that you are truly the owner of the account.
3. Insert an Extra Domain Lock or Registry Lock
All important domain names, especially domains that point to e-commerce platforms on which goods are sold and distributed, should possess an additional lock applied, called “Registry Lock.” Registry Lock will suspend all domain confirmations at the registry level before the correct high-security protocol has been followed as specified by both the customer and registrar.
Placing a registry lock on your domain name adds two layers of security to your domain before any transfers or changes can be made to it. When a registry lock is put on, no attributes of your domain name are changeable and no transport or deletion transactions can be processed, except renewals.
Having both the registrar and registry work together before a change is made to your domain adds two additional sets of safety checks and prevents hijacking by putting strong barriers between your domain and the possible thief.
4. Registrar Lock
Similar to the registry, registrar lock uses a standing code into your domain that prevents any modification of it like transport or deletion, an important notice for domain investors and businesses who protect long-term registrations.
Based on the features provided by the registrar, initiating a registrar lock may also prevent modification of the domain’s contact information or DNS settings.
Along with the EPP code, having a registrar lock on your domain makes it increasingly difficult for the domain to be immediately transferred to a different registrar, a common initial step that domain hijackers may require.
5. Use Extended Validation Certificates
To better build online confidence, all sites should be available under HTTPS with SSL Certificates. These certificates reduce the effectiveness of phishing efforts and also generate confidence in users visiting your website.
You may be familiar with the little green lock found in most browser’s URL bars. This usually means you’re browsing a site that has an SSL certificate and has empowered HTTPS, which encrypts the data being transferred between your computer and the website.
After you load a site with a URL with HTTPS, hackers cannot snoop on information being transmitted between you and the site you’re visiting. This prevents them from doing things such as reading the Information you submit forms (credit card numbers, addresses, etc.) or creating any false changes to the content of this site as you see it. At the highest levels, HTTPS can help to certify the identity of who’s on the other end of a website.
Having HTTPS enabled on your site is critically important if you are wanting to create visitors to your domain. Clients Will Need to understand they can safely access your Website without fear of risking valuable private information or being exposed to malicious actions.
Assess what level of authentication your SSL Certificate supplies, and be certain that you have the amount you will need for your website.
6. Assess Email Security Standards
Make sure that email suppliers adhere to the most up-to-date and strictest criteria in email delivery. This includes setting up email signatures with DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) and Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) documents to help avoid phishing emails from being delivered to users.
7. Privacy Protection
Domain upon registration is available as a public document. If you’ve registered a domain without WHOIS privacy protection, anyone on the web can quickly look up your domain name in a WHOIS search tool and find your contact info.
In addition to your personal information being a person, including your physical address, this may invite spam, or even worse, domain hijacking. WHOIS privacy security makes this information confidential, so it’s not available publicly via a WHOIS search.
Once privacy security is enabled, anyone running a WHOIS Search on domain names you own will be able to see only non-identifying specifics about your domain, such as the production (or registration) date and the date that the domain is set to expire. Your name, email address, physical address, and state will remain confidential.
8. DNSSEC
The DNS (Domain Name System) is the backbone of the internet communicating in each type, from emails to website URLs to bring images. It requires user-friendly information, such as, for instance, a website address, translates it into code, and guides that info to the correct location to solve the information you requested in your browser.
If you are planning to use your domain as a way to exploit the ability of the DNS naming system, such as by using a domain name like MyCryptoWallet.xyz to provide a customized title for your cryptocurrency wallet, then DNSSEC is a significant feature you need to enable.
DNSSEC adds an Excess layer of protection to your domain by letting it cryptographically sign your DNS records. Domains outfitted with DNSSEC must match the essential records on the DNS to be accessed.
This auth code prevents the usage of spoofing techniques to mask a malicious site as a secure one when it resolves. You can think of DNSSEC in simple terms as the SSL of domain names, but using a much stronger fraud check system that raises the difficulty of intercepting data when a visitor accesses your domain or website.
Without DNSSEC: It is easy For the Attacker To Get Access
With DNSSEC: Attacker is Unable To Access
9. SPF Record
SPF is a helpful tool to prevent spammers from sending other malicious mail via your domain. It uses the DNS to Permit You to choose which email servers your emails are approved to be shipped from. Sending bogus emails together with your domain in the “From” area. Additionally, it helps to prevent your emails from being marked as spam or disregarded due to malicious actions on a server you’re using.
When you send an email in the domain name using SPF, email servers will confirm that the sender is legitimate with an SPF record that you published in the DNS. This SPF listing lists the emails that you determined to be authorized senders.
Using a correctly set up SPF record builds trust in emails coming from your domain. It also helps protect against malicious emails being delivered on a server attached to its domain, which may help you avoid many inboxing problems for incoming mail.
Conclusion
Hackers are consistently trying to develop new methods of theft and fraud, so it is highly recommended to set up the above-mentioned techniques and protect your domain or online business brand. Implementing the best security techniques is the key to protecting your most valuable assets and information.