As you may know, many in cybersecurity regard WHOIS as a key to fighting cybercrime. Now, WHOIS and GDPR are on a collision course.
Unless something changes, ICANN's WHOIS site will be providing an illegal service just days from now when GDPR kicks in.
WHOIS had been publishing the details of who owns every domain, including their name, home and email address, and phone number.
We say "had been" publishing because some internet service providers, such as GoDaddy, have already restricted the information available. Some sites still have full contact information, but that is expected to change when the law goes into effect on May 25, 2018. At that point, the battle of WHOIS and GDPR may abruptly end.
ICANN's request to the EU has been to ask for an exception, that is, a delay in applying GDPR regulations to WHOIS for a year.
Meanwhile, the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) is pushing for a tiered access plan that reportedly protects privacy and security through an accreditation process for those getting access.
We'll say this much: There are more back and forth volleys in this saga than a match at Wimbledon.
Check out this read from The Register, which is a great resource if you're wondering how WHOIS and GDPR are on a collision course with just days to go before Europe's new privacy regulation kicks in.
Can there be a win here for either side?