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What Ward checks

Area: Domain

DNS and email providers

Checks that the domains of the providers that host your DNS and your email are still registered and won't expire.

What it can report

Open each one to see what it means and how to fix it.

Your DNS depends on a domain anyone can register

What it means

Part of your DNS settings point to servers at legacy-dns-host.net, and that domain isn't registered by anyone. Whoever registers it controls those servers' names.

What could happen

Whoever registers it could answer for your domain: redirect your website, receive your email and even get certificates issued in your name. It's one of the most serious situations, and the fix is quick, so it should be handled today.

How an attacker would use it

Someone notices that legacy-dns-host.net is available and buys it for a few dollars. Without breaking into anything, they now run the servers your DNS points to, and your visitors and emails go where they say.

How to fix it

  1. Open the technical details: the servers listed there are the ones that point to legacy-dns-host.net.
  2. At your registrar, change the domain's name servers to those of an active DNS provider.Your provider's help pages or support give the correct values.
  3. If you can't switch right away, register legacy-dns-host.net yourself as a stopgap.It costs little and stops anyone else from taking it while you migrate.
  4. After the change, check that your website and email work, and send a test message to yourself.
  5. Ask your IT person to review who set up that provider and whether anything else depends on it.

How to check it's fixed

Ward looks up the provider's domain again. Mark the finding as “Pending verification” and Ward will check it again. DNS changes can take a few hours to spread, so if it still shows up, try again later.

Who usually fixes it

Your IT person

Example with sample data. In your dashboard, the explanation uses your own domain and details.

Your DNS provider's domain expires soon

What it means

dns-host.net hosts your DNS (where your website and email are pointed), and its registration is about to expire. It isn't your domain, so renewing it isn't in your hands.

What could happen

If it isn't renewed, the servers behind your DNS (where your website and email are pointed) stop answering and your website and email can fail. Afterwards someone else could register the name and take over those servers. A well-run provider normally renews in time, so it may be an oversight on their side.

How an attacker would use it

Someone who watches for expiring domains buys dns-host.net as soon as it's released. They now control the servers your DNS points to, and your visitors and emails go where they decide.

How to fix it

  1. Contact the provider that uses dns-host.net and ask whether it will be renewed.Use their support page or the contact on your contract or invoices.
  2. If they confirm the renewal, ask when and agree to check afterwards.
  3. If they don't answer or won't renew, plan the move to another provider before the date.
  4. At your registrar, change the name servers to those of an active DNS provider.
  5. After the move, check that your website and email work.

How to check it's fixed

Ward reads the new expiry date of the provider's domain. Mark the finding as “Pending verification” and Ward will check it again. DNS changes can take a few hours to spread, so if it still shows up, try again later.

Who usually fixes it

Your provider

Example with sample data. In your dashboard, the explanation uses your own domain and details.