1. What is domain protection and why do I need it?

Domain protection is a security service that prevents hijacking, unauthorized transfers, and WHOIS data exposure. It keeps your website and brand safe.

2. What’s the difference between domain privacy and domain protection?

Domain privacy hides your personal details in WHOIS records, while domain protection adds security layers like registry lock and 2FA to stop domain theft.

3. How does WHOIS privacy protect me?

WHOIS privacy shields your name, address, and email from spammers and hackers by replacing them with proxy details.

4. What is a registry lock vs registrar lock?

Registry lock: Secures your domain at the registry level, making it nearly impossible to transfer without manual approval. Registrar lock: Prevents unauthorized transfers but can be toggled on/off from your control panel.

5. Can my domain still be hijacked with protection enabled?

With Cloudoora’s domain protection—including registry lock, WHOIS privacy, and 2FA—the risk of hijacking is reduced to near zero.

6. How much does Cloudoora’s domain protection cost?

Cloudoora’s domain protection plans start at just €0.99 per year, with no hidden fees.

7. How do I enable domain protection at Cloudoora?

Simply log in to your Cloudoora account, go to your domain settings, and activate the protection toggle in one click.

Domain protection

Domain protection, an overview of your options

A domain can be protected in several independent ways. Here is what each setting guards against, so you can decide which ones you need.

Read the guide See the quick tips

8 protections explained

Before and after

What changes once a domain is protected?

How an unprotected domain compares with one using the settings below.

What changes once a domain is protected?
01 Unprotected	02 Protected
The default risks without these settings turned on.	With the transfer lock, WHOIS privacy, DNSSEC, auto-renewal and two-factor login turned on.
Open to transfer if a password leaks Contact details public in WHOIS Can expire and become available to anyone	Transfers blocked until you unlock it Contact details hidden from WHOIS Renews automatically before it expires

Transfer lock

Also called a registrar lock, it blocks a domain being transferred to another registrar until you turn it off. It shows in WHOIS as the status clientTransferProhibited. Turn it off only when you want to move the domain yourself.

See the full domain lock and unlock guide.

Key points

Blocks transfers to another registrar
Shows as clientTransferProhibited in WHOIS
Turn it off only to move the domain

Registry lock

A stricter lock set at the registry itself, separate from the transfer lock you control in a dashboard. Changing anything about the domain, including removing the lock, needs extra manual verification, which protects high-value domains even if a registrar account is compromised. It is offered directly by some registries, and not every extension supports it.

Key points

Extra verification for every change
Set at the registry, not the registrar
Only available on some extensions

WHOIS privacy

Hides your name, email and phone number from the public WHOIS record, so they cannot be scraped for spam, phishing or to fake ownership of your domain. Free with Cloudoora on every extension whose registry allows it.

Key points

Hides your contact details from public WHOIS
Free, where the registry allows it
Cuts spam and phishing aimed at your domain

DNSSEC

Signs your domain's DNS answers so resolvers can check they have not been forged, protecting visitors from DNS tampering. See DNS management for how records and DNSSEC work together.

Key points

Protects DNS answers from forgery
Available to turn on with Cloudoora
A different protection from a lock or WHOIS privacy

Auto-renewal

Renews the domain automatically before it expires, as long as a valid payment method is on file, so it does not lapse and become available for anyone else to register.

Key points

Prevents accidental expiry
Needs a valid payment method on file
Does not protect against transfers or hijacking

Defensive registrations

Registering the obvious other extensions and close misspellings of your domain stops someone else using them to impersonate you or your brand. Bulk domain search checks many extensions and variants at once.

Key points

Covers other extensions and common typos
Reduces impersonation risk
Check many names at once with bulk search

Backorder

A backorder is a request on a domain that is about to expire or has already dropped, so it is registered for you automatically if it becomes available, rather than someone else getting it first.

Key points

For a domain that is expiring or already dropped
Registers it for you automatically if it opens up
Does not protect a domain you currently own

FAQ

Domain protection questions

What is domain protection?

The settings that keep a domain under your control, such as the transfer lock, registry lock, WHOIS privacy, DNSSEC, auto-renewal and two-factor login.

Is a registry lock the same as the lock in my dashboard?

No. The lock in your dashboard is the registrar (transfer) lock. A registry lock is a separate, stricter setting offered directly by some registries.

Is WHOIS privacy really free?

Yes, with Cloudoora, on every extension whose registry allows it.

Does DNSSEC protect my website too?

No. It protects your domain's DNS answers from forgery. An SSL certificate protects the connection to your website itself.

What is a backorder, and when do I need one?

A request on a domain that is expiring or already dropped, so it is registered for you automatically if it opens up. Domain backorder

Why would I register domains I am not using?

To stop someone else registering an obvious other extension or misspelling of your domain and using it to impersonate you. Bulk domain search checks several at once.