Step 1: Understanding Whois Lookup
Whois is a protocol used for querying databases that store the registered users or assignees of an Internet resource—most commonly domain names.
The data retrieved often includes domain registrant information, creation/expiration dates, name servers, and more. This data helps you learn about the infrastructure and potential weaknesses of a target organization.
Step 2: Access Whois.com
- Open your web browser.
- Navigate to https://www.whois.com.
- Locate the "WHOIS Lookup" search bar.
Step 3: Search for the Target Domain
- In the search bar, enter:
demo.cyberseclabs.org - Click the Search button or press Enter.
Step 4: Analyze the Whois Results
After submitting the query, you'll receive information about the domain. For example, the following fields might be displayed:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Domain Name | demo.cyberseclabs.org |
| Registrar | NameCheap Inc. |
| Creation Date | 2023-03-15 |
| Expiry Date | 2025-03-15 |
| Name Servers | ns1.digitalocean.com, ns2.digitalocean.com |
| Status | clientTransferProhibited |
| Registrant Country | US |
| Registrar Abuse Email | [email protected] |
Step 5: Document the Findings
After reviewing the data, organize it into a brief report like the following:
Domain Information Report – demo.cyberseclabs.org - Domain Name: demo.cyberseclabs.org - Registrar: NameCheap Inc. - Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.namecheap.com - Creation Date: 2023-03-15 - Expiration Date: 2025-03-15 - Updated Date: 2024-03-10 - Name Servers: - ns1.digitalocean.com - ns2.digitalocean.com - Domain Status: clientTransferProhibited - Registrant Country: US - Registrar Abuse Contact Email: [email protected]
Step 6: Reflect on the Information
This Whois data can be useful for:
- Technical Insights: Identify DNS providers and infrastructure setup.
- Social Engineering: Use email/contact patterns in phishing simulations.
- Red Team Strategy: Analyze domain expiration and administrative practices.
Limitations of Whois Lookups
- Privacy Protection: WhoisGuard can hide registrant details.
- Outdated Data: Information may not always be current.
- Limited Scope: Does not reveal subdomains, services, or technologies used.
Follow-Up Tools & Next Steps
Expand your reconnaissance using these tools:
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| DNSDumpster | Find DNS records and subdomains |
| Shodan | Scan exposed services |
| theHarvester | Harvest emails and subdomains |
| Nslookup / Dig | DNS queries |
| SecurityTrails | Domain intelligence |
| crt.sh | Search for SSL certificates and subdomains |
Conclusion
In this lab, you learned how to perform a Whois lookup on demo.cyberseclabs.org using Whois.com. You gathered valuable information such as domain registration dates, name servers, and registrar data.
This data serves as the foundation for passive reconnaissance and helps shape your cybersecurity approach. Always remember to perform such activities ethically and with permission.
Read more: Gathering Basic Information Using Shodan.com
Warning: The Demo.cyberseclabs.org site is provided as an example at the time of writing this content. It is possible that you may not be able to follow this guide successfully if the target is not accessible or has changed. Always ensure that you are performing any security tests on systems you have explicit permission to test.
