What is a domain name?¶
A domain name is a human-readable internet name, such as example.com. It can direct users towards websites, email services and other infrastructure, but it is not the website itself and does not identify an offender.
What the domain represents¶
A domain is a controlled name within the internet naming system. Whoever controls it can configure which technical services it points towards.
Those services may change while the domain remains the same. A domain may:
- resolve to different IP addresses over time;
- point to hosting, cloud or content-delivery infrastructure;
- direct email to a separate service;
- redirect visitors elsewhere;
- stop resolving; or
- be transferred to another registrant.
Investigative value¶
A domain can provide a stable starting point for enquiries. Depending on the domain and relevant period, records may help identify:
- the registrar;
- the registry;
- nameservers;
- current and historic DNS records;
- registration and renewal dates;
- account or contact information; and
- changes in control or configuration.
Historic information may be more relevant than the present configuration.
What it does not prove¶
The domain does not identify the person responsible for the associated activity. The registrant may be a company, reseller, privacy service or intermediary. Details may be false or stolen. A legitimate domain may also have been compromised.
Record the exact domain, including its ending. Check carefully for substituted letters, added words and misleading subdomains.
Key takeaway
A domain name identifies a controlled internet name and can lead to useful provider and infrastructure records. It does not, by itself, identify the person who operated the service or carried out the activity.