Whois Officially Retired as RDAP Takes Over

Whois Officially Retired as RDAP Takes Over

On January 28, 2025, Whois was officially retired, marking the end of an era for domain registration data queries. As of today, ICANN’s transition period has ended, and registrars and registries are no longer required to provide Whois services. Instead, the Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP) is now the standard for accessing domain registration data.

Why Was Whois Replaced by RDAP?

Whois has been in use for over 40 years, but its text-based query format is outdated and not optimized for modern internet infrastructure. RDAP, introduced in 2015, was designed to be more structured and machine-readable, addressing many of Whois’s limitations. ICANN has been working to transition registries and registrars under its jurisdiction to RDAP, leading to today’s official phase-out of Whois.

What Changes Should Users Expect?

For most users, there will be little noticeable difference when querying domain information through ICANN’s lookup site (lookup.icann.org), as RDAP provides similar data to Whois. However, those relying on automated Whois queries via port 43 may need to update their systems to parse RDAP responses properly.

It is important to note that RDAP does not restore redacted data previously hidden under privacy laws such as GDPR. Users seeking full registration details will still need to contact registrars directly or use ICANN’s Registration Data Request Service.

Will Whois Completely Disappear?

Despite ICANN’s mandate, Whois will not vanish entirely. Some country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs), such as .ru and .it, are not obligated to adopt RDAP and may continue offering Whois services. Additionally, some registrars may maintain parallel Whois and RDAP systems for the foreseeable future.

Cybersecurity and domain intelligence platforms, such as DomainTools’ Iris Investigate and Enrich, have already integrated RDAP alongside Whois. These platforms will continue collecting and analyzing domain registration data across both protocols to support threat intelligence and investigative efforts.

Conclusion: The End of Whois, but Not of Domain Lookup Services

The retirement of Whois marks a significant shift in domain registration data management. While RDAP offers a more structured and modern approach, users—especially those relying on automated Whois queries—may need to adapt. As privacy regulations evolve, domain lookup services will continue to change, ensuring secure and compliant access to registration data.

News Source:Kevin Murphy,This article does not represent our position.

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