WHOISandmed

WHOISandmed is a term used to describe the aggregation and dissemination of domain registration information derived from WHOIS services and related data feeds. It typically includes the domain name, registrar, registration and expiry dates, current status, nameservers, and the contact details that registrants or administrative contacts have published, subject to privacy protections and redactions.

Data sources and structure: Data originates from ICANN‑accredited registries and registrars, augmented by RDAP records where available. RDAP provides structured, machine‑readable metadata and supports standardized fields such as entity type, contact identifiers, and access restrictions. Privacy controls, privacy/proxy services, and data redaction affect what is publicly visible.

Access and uses: Public WHOIS portals and paid API services make WHOISandmed accessible to researchers, cybersecurity professionals, brand protectors, and domain portfolio managers. Typical applications include identifying ownership trails, verifying registration details, detecting counterfeit domains, and supporting incident response. Use is governed by relevant data protection laws and terms of service.

Limitations and issues: Data quality can vary by registry and over time; information may be outdated or incomplete; personal data may be redacted or masked. Internationalization, language, and formatting inconsistencies pose additional challenges for automated processing.

Governance and evolution: Policy discussions focus on data minimization and responsible disclosure under GDPR and other laws. The transition from traditional WHOIS to RDAP aims to improve data quality and privacy controls, while continuing to balance legitimate access with privacy obligations.

See also: WHOIS, RDAP, ICANN, domain name, data protection.