The Internet is like a beach—you will most likely leave behind footprints while you are there.

And these impressions can be traced back to whoever left them. The same is true with domain ownership.

That website name you plan to launch your next venture on? Its domain may have a history of its own. It could have been passed around from one user to another before it ended with you—and that’s to be expected. The concern here, though, is that it might have had a dark backstory where cybercriminals and malicious activity were involved doing some nasty tricks.

Since the Internet has been around for a while, the past cannot be undermined—which is why learning about the background of a domain should be a priority to avoid the consequences of a tarnished reputation. But how can one find historical data on domain names?

This is where WHOIS History API comes in. In this post, we’re going to talk about it and some of its important use cases.

What Is WHOIS History API?

Thousands of domains are being registered daily and an even higher number undergo several changes in ownership and registration throughout the years. In that context, WHOIS History API is a tool capable of providing users with the means to access the history behind these modifications.

It does so by monitoring any alterations that are made to a domain. In fact, it starts collecting this data right from the beginning of its lifecycle when first registered.

These APIs have been tracking and archiving WHOIS records for more than a decade with billions of historic domain data in their databases. Moreover, they continue to update these details so users can expect up-to-date information when they deploy this software. We’ve written a post about the functionality of WHOIS History API called Research Any Domain’s History With Whois History API for more details.

Now with that said, these capabilities make the product particularly handy in many instances. Let’s take a look.

Performing Cybersec Investigations

Phishing, scams, and malware injections are just a few of the attacks a cybercriminal can carry out against your company. Since malicious domains are a common medium for these malevolent purposes, it’s crucial that organizations have a tool to navigate domain data.

WHOIS History API can be used to research the digital footprints of known malware domains. This lets cybersecurity professionals confirm who their owners are—obtaining leads to the authors along with other domains they possess. This information can then be used to update existing company security systems to keep the risky domains and IP addresses associated with these threat actors out.

Protecting Brand Reputation

A good reputation is one of the foundations of a successful business, while its opposite can mean being shunned and shamed forever. To avoid the latter, it’s important to secure potential domain names by studying them beforehand.

By checking the WHOIS history of a domain, brand agents can verify if it has been involved in shady activities—i.e., impersonation, malware hosting, etc.—in the past and, therefore, stay away from those that have. This can prevent their companies from being mistakenly connected to cybercriminals, resulting in penalties from search engines among other issues.

Reviewing Third-Party Provider Credibility

Success in almost any industry often means trusting and collaborating closely with third-party providers. Criminals know it, and that’s why they may take advantage of that leap of faith to develop impersonation schemes.

Being able to review historical WHOIS data, organizations can confirm the identities of their would-be partners and make sure they are who they say they are. Any red flags during the credibility check can warn if something is not right, allowing you to postpone negotiations until clarified—potentially saving you a lot of trouble later on.

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In a world where conducting business online has become the norm, WHOIS History API can help monitor domain ownership information and see how it has changed over the years—leading to a variety of use cases.