The most common reason for unintentional loss of a domain name
is when the owner forgets to renew the name, often because a
renewal notice is overlooked or not received, the latter usually
being because the owner did not keep his contact details up to
date. However, names are also lost because of errors on the part of
a registrar, or because of fraud or domain name hijacking.
Domain name hijacking can occur when a hijacker accesses the
name owner’s account at a registrar, modifies the contact
information, requests a transfer of the registration to another
registrar, and then issues a request to the registrar to delete the
registration. The hijacker then registers the domain immediately
through another registrar. The hijacker can frustrate the process
of correcting the original error by “laundering" the registration
through two or more registrars.
Under the current system, deleted names are available for
immediate re-registration or, in some cases, after a five day
holding period. However, ICANN last week proposed that any deletion
of a domain name will in future result in a 30-day Deleted Name
Redemption Grace Period. The period is intended to allow for the
detection and correction of any mistaken deletions. During this
period, the domain name will not function.
ICANN is seeking public comment on its proposal.
