WHOIS is a protocol and database used to query information regarding the ownership and registration of internet domains, such as website domains. With WHOIS, users can search for information about who has registered a particular domain, when the domain was registered, and how to contact the owner.
Information that can be found via WHOIS includes personal details of the domain owner, technical contact information, information about the domain registrar, domain expiration dates, and technical information related to the domain's DNS settings.
WHOIS is often used by cybersecurity investigators, website owners, or people who want to contact website owners for various purposes, including legal or technical questions. However, for privacy reasons, some domain registrars offer a privacy protection service that hides the domain owner's personal contact information in WHOIS search results.
WHOIS can also be used to trace domains that may be involved in illegal activity or spam . These protocols have become an integral part of the internet ecosystem, helping to maintain transparency and accountability in the use of internet domains.