1. Know Who Owns and Manages Your Domain

Before changing security settings, confirm exactly where your domain is registered and who controls it.

Your domain registrar is the company through which the domain is registered. It may be different from your website hosting company, DNS provider, or web development agency.

For example, you might register your domain through GoDaddy, host your website with another provider, and manage DNS through Cloudflare.

That arrangement is common and not inherently a security problem. The problem arises when nobody knows which company controls which service.

Every business should be able to identify:

• The domain registrar
• The account responsible for the domain registration
• The listed registrant and organization
• The administrative contact email
• The domain’s expiration date
• The DNS provider
• The people authorized to make changes

Ideally, the registration should remain under an account controlled by the business rather than the personal account of an employee, contractor, or agency.

A third party can manage a domain on your behalf without being the only person who controls it.

What to check: Sign in to your registrar and confirm that the business has appropriate ownership records and administrative access. Document where the domain is managed and who is responsible for it.

2. Choose a Registrar With Strong Security Controls

A domain registrar manages registrations and provides the tools used to maintain them.

Choosing one based entirely on the introductory price can overlook important security and support considerations.

Look for a registrar that provides:

• Multifactor authentication
• Domain transfer locking
• Clear renewal notifications
• Reliable account recovery procedures
• Access controls for authorized users
• DNS management and security options
• Responsive support for account and transfer issues

For domain extensions governed by ICANN, check whether the registrar is accredited or operates through an accredited registrar.

ICANN provides guidance on securely managing domain names, including account protection, transfers, and fraudulent renewal notices.

You do not necessarily need the most expensive registrar. You need one that provides reliable controls and that your business can manage properly.

3. Enable Domain Locking to Prevent Unauthorized Transfers

A domain lock helps prevent your domain from being transferred to another registrar without authorization.

Many registrars offer this protection through a setting called Registrar Lock, often reflected in the domain’s status as clientTransferProhibited.

According to ICANN’s guidance on locked domains, domain locks can help protect against unauthorized changes and transfers.

For most business domains, transfer locking should remain enabled unless you are intentionally moving the domain.

However, a transfer lock is not a complete defense against account compromise.

If an attacker gains sufficient administrative access, they may be able to change security settings or modify DNS records without transferring the registration.

That is why domain locking needs to work alongside strong authentication and account access controls.

What to check: Confirm that transfer protection is enabled for every important business domain. If your registrar offers additional registry-level locking, evaluate whether the extra protection is appropriate for your business.

4. Secure Your Registrar Account With Strong Authentication

Your registrar account deserves the same security attention as your banking and business email accounts.

Start with a unique password that is not reused anywhere else.

A reputable password manager can generate and store long passwords without requiring employees to remember them individually.

Next, enable multifactor authentication (MFA), often called two-factor authentication (2FA).

Depending on what your registrar supports, authentication options may include:

• Passkeys or security keys
• Authenticator applications
• SMS verification codes

Phishing-resistant methods such as properly implemented security keys and passkeys generally provide stronger protection than SMS codes.

If your registrar does not offer those options, an authenticator app is usually a better choice than leaving MFA disabled.

Also consider how your organization handles account recovery.

Recovery codes, backup authentication methods, and access procedures should be stored securely and remain available to authorized personnel.

What to check: Make sure MFA is enabled, recovery methods are current, and former employees or contractors no longer have access.

5. Protect the Email Account Connected to Your Domain Registration

The email address associated with your domain registrar is particularly important.

It may receive renewal notices, transfer notifications, security alerts, and password recovery messages.

If someone compromises that email account, they may be able to use it to attempt access to your domain registration.

Use a dedicated administrative email address when practical, and protect it with strong authentication.

There is also an important recovery consideration.

If your registrar account uses an email address on the same domain you are trying to recover, a domain or DNS failure could interfere with receiving important account messages.

Consider maintaining a secure, independently accessible recovery method that does not depend entirely on the affected domain.

Make sure the contact information remains accurate. An unused mailbox provides little protection if nobody notices important alerts.

6. Use Domain Registration Privacy Where Appropriate

Domain registration records may contain contact information associated with the registrant.

Historically, much of this information was publicly available through WHOIS services. Today, personal information may be redacted or protected under applicable policies and privacy requirements.

A registrar may also offer domain privacy or proxy services, depending on the domain extension and registration arrangement.

These services can help reduce unnecessary exposure of personal contact information.

However, privacy protection does not eliminate the need to maintain accurate registration details with your registrar.

It also does not prevent every form of phishing, impersonation, or unauthorized access.

What to check: Review what registration information is publicly visible, whether privacy protection is available, and whether the underlying account information is accurate.

7. Enable Automatic Renewal and Monitor Expiration Dates

One of the easiest ways to lose control of a domain is to forget to renew it.

A domain registration is maintained for a specified period. If it expires and is not renewed in time, services connected to it may be disrupted, and the domain could eventually become available for someone else to register.

The exact expiration and recovery process depends on the domain extension, registrar, and applicable policies.

ICANN’s domain renewal guidance explains why keeping registration and payment information current is essential.

For business-critical domains:

• Enable automatic renewal.
• Keep the payment method current.
• Confirm that renewal notices reach an actively monitored inbox.
• Review expiration dates periodically.
• Maintain a list of every domain your business owns.
• Assign responsibility for checking renewal status.

Do not assume that enabling auto-renewal means the job is finished.

A declined payment, expired credit card, or account problem can still interrupt the process.

For a domain connected to your primary website and business email, that is a significant risk to leave to a single automated setting.

8. Protect Your DNS Settings From Unauthorized Changes

The Domain Name System (DNS) connects your domain to services such as your website and email.

DNS records determine where website traffic is directed and which systems handle email for your domain.

If someone changes those records without authorization, the results can include website outages, email delivery failures, or redirection to malicious destinations.

This is why domain security extends beyond the registrar account.

If your business manages DNS through a separate provider, that account must also be secured.

Recommended precautions include:

• Enabling MFA for your DNS provider
• Limiting access to authorized users
• Reviewing DNS changes
• Keeping a record of important DNS configurations
• Removing unnecessary administrative permissions
• Monitoring unexpected changes to nameservers and critical records

Businesses should also understand the difference between changing a domain’s registration and changing its DNS configuration.

A domain can remain registered to the correct owner while incorrect DNS settings disrupt the website or email.

What to check: Identify where your DNS is managed and confirm that access is restricted appropriately. Keep a current record of essential DNS settings before making changes.

9. Consider DNSSEC for Additional DNS Protection

DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC) add a layer of authentication to DNS responses.

DNSSEC uses cryptographic signatures to help validating systems verify that DNS information has not been altered.

It is designed to reduce risks such as DNS response spoofing and certain forms of DNS cache poisoning.

Cloudflare’s DNSSEC documentation explains how this protection works and the configuration requirements involved.

DNSSEC is useful, but it is not a substitute for securing registrar accounts, maintaining accurate DNS records, or protecting website infrastructure.

It also requires careful implementation.

An incorrect DNSSEC configuration can prevent a domain from resolving properly, making the website or email inaccessible.

If you use separate companies for registration and DNS hosting, the required settings may need to be coordinated between them.

What to check: Ask your registrar or DNS provider whether DNSSEC is available and appropriate for your setup. If you are changing nameservers or DNS providers, verify the existing DNSSEC configuration before proceeding.

10. Protect Your Domain From Email Spoofing With SPF, DKIM, and DMARC

Your domain may also be used to send business email.

Attackers sometimes impersonate legitimate organizations by sending messages that appear to come from a trusted domain.

Email authentication helps receiving mail systems evaluate whether messages claiming to come from your domain are authorized.

Three important mechanisms are:

• SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Identifies systems authorized to send email for a domain.
• DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Uses cryptographic signatures to help verify messages.
• DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): Establishes a policy for evaluating email authentication alignment and reporting results.

These mechanisms work together, but they address different aspects of email authentication.

DMARC does not eliminate every type of phishing or impersonation, and it cannot prevent attackers from registering lookalike domains.

A strong DMARC policy can help receiving systems reject or quarantine messages that fail the policy’s authentication requirements.

Businesses should implement it carefully, particularly when using multiple email services, marketing platforms, or automated systems.

Incorrect configuration can interfere with legitimate business email.

For a more detailed explanation, DMARC.org provides educational resources about DMARC and related authentication standards.

What to check: Identify every system that sends email on behalf of your business and verify that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are configured appropriately. Review authentication reports before moving to stricter enforcement policies.

11. Watch for Domain Renewal Scams and Suspicious Notices

Not every domain-related invoice or renewal warning is legitimate.

Businesses may receive emails or letters that appear to come from a registrar, domain service provider, or official authority.

Some attempt to collect payment for unnecessary services. Others use phishing links or misleading renewal claims to obtain account credentials.

The Federal Trade Commission has warned businesses about fake invoices involving domain registration and other services.

Before responding to a domain-related notice:

• Confirm who your actual registrar is.
• Check the expiration date directly in your registrar account.
• Avoid signing in through unfamiliar email links.
• Verify unexpected invoices before paying.
• Be suspicious of urgent demands to transfer your domain.
• Contact your registrar through its established support channels when uncertain.

A legitimate-looking logo and an alarming subject line are not proof that a message is genuine.

The safest way to verify an urgent domain notice is to open your registrar’s website directly rather than following the message’s instructions.

12. Keep Domain Management Organized as Your Business Grows

As companies grow, they often accumulate additional domains.

These might include alternate brand names, domains from previous campaigns, regional extensions, or addresses acquired during a rebrand.

Without an organized system, it becomes easy to lose track of what is registered, why it exists, and who manages it.

Maintain a central record that includes:

• Domain name
• Registrar
• Registration owner
• Expiration date
• Renewal status
• DNS provider
• Business purpose
• Responsible team member
• Critical services connected to the domain

A centralized inventory does not mean every domain must be transferred to the same registrar.

Consolidation can simplify administration, but it should be evaluated carefully, especially when domains have different security, ownership, or operational requirements.

If your company acquires new domains, make sure they are added to the inventory and protected from the beginning.

Our guide to domain name negotiation tactics covers the acquisition side of domain management. Once a domain is acquired, establishing proper ownership and security controls should be part of the handover.

What Should You Do If You Suspect Your Domain Has Been Compromised?

If your website suddenly redirects to an unfamiliar destination, important DNS records change unexpectedly, or you receive unauthorized transfer notifications, investigate immediately.

Start with the account or provider responsible for the affected service.

1. Contact your registrar. Report suspected unauthorized access or transfer activity.
2. Secure affected accounts. Change compromised credentials and revoke unauthorized sessions where possible.
3. Review DNS records. Identify unexpected changes affecting your website or email.
4. Check account access. Remove unfamiliar users, recovery methods, or permissions.
5. Document the incident. Preserve relevant alerts, timestamps, and evidence.
6. Verify restoration. Test website access, email delivery, and other services after changes are corrected.

The correct recovery process depends on what happened. A DNS misconfiguration is different from a compromised registrar account or an unauthorized domain transfer.

Avoid changing multiple unrelated settings without identifying the problem, especially if your organization depends on the domain for email and customer communication.

Domain protection is also only one layer of a broader security strategy. Our article on WordPress website security covers additional risks affecting website software and infrastructure.

Domain Protection Is an Ongoing Business Responsibility

Securing a domain is not especially complicated when the right procedures are in place.

The challenge is ensuring those procedures are maintained as employees change, services move, payment methods expire, and businesses grow.

Start by confirming who controls the registration. Protect the accounts involved, enable transfer locking and MFA, monitor renewals, and document the systems connected to your domain.

Then review additional protections such as DNSSEC and email authentication based on your business’s setup and risk.

Your domain may be a small line item in the operating budget, but your website, email, and customer access can depend on it.

Knowing who controls it, how it is protected, and what happens when something goes wrong is a basic part of protecting the business itself.