WhoisXML API Blog

Enhance Response Speed for Historical Domain Records with the skipLiveWhois API Parameter

We are thrilled to announce that WHOIS History API has been upgraded to include a feature called “skipLiveWhois,” an optional parameter that enables users to skip WHOIS API requests when the latest indexed record is not fresh (i.e., there is no current WHOIS record from the past 24 hours). 

This enhancement is designed to improve the speed of historical WHOIS lookup requests by close to 90%—from 3.5 seconds to an average of 370 milliseconds.

ICANN's WHOIS Port 43 Shutdown: What It Means for You

Written by Ching Chiao, Head of APAC and Global Data Partnership & Alexandre François, Product Marketing Director
WhoisXML API

On January 28, 2025, ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) will officially sunset the WHOIS Port 43 services. This decision marks a pivotal moment for the cybersecurity industry, domain registries, and anyone who relies on domain data for operational or investigative purposes. But what does this change mean, and how will it impact the broader ecosystem?

Our Passive DNS APIs Are Now Enriched with Wildcard and Active Output Parameters

We are thrilled to announce that several of our APIs have been upgraded to include new data points, namely, wildcard and active. In particular, both fields are now optional output parameters for Reverse IP API, Reverse DNS API, Reverse MX API, and Reverse NS API. Our newly launched DNS Chronicle API, meanwhile, has a wildcard field as part of its default output format.

WhoisXML API Unveils First Watch Malicious Domains Data Feed with 97% Predictive Precision

We are excited to introduce First Watch Malicious Domains Data Feed, the newest addition to our predictive threat intelligence product line. This innovative solution is designed to enhance early threat detection and response by identifying substantially more malicious domains than traditional feeds, right at the point of registration.

First Watch Malicious Domains Data Feed offers several key advantages for cybersecurity teams, whether they are part of in-house Security Operations Centers (SOCs) or Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs).

DNS Database Download Is Now Reinforced with Wildcard and Active Fields

We are excited to announce that the Standard and Premium DNS Database files from DNS Database Download are now enriched with two new columns, namely, wildcard and active. These additions allow you to determine if a DNS record is part of a wildcard entry and check if a domain name or subdomain is active based on its most recent resolution status.

Quarterly WHOIS Database Download Files Are Now Available on Snowflake

We are excited to announce that Snowflake users can now request access to WHOIS Database Download’s quarterly gTLD and ccTLD files on the platform, available in three formats:

• Simple: The simple CSV file contains the domain name, registrar name and email address, WHOIS and name servers, creation and expiration dates, and registrant and administrative contact details.

• Regular: The regular CSV file contains all the fields in the Simple file, along with information about the billing, technical, and zone contacts.

• Full: This file format contains all fields in the Simple file, in addition to the raw text from the WHOIS registry and registrar.

WhoisXML API Launches New Passive DNS Product DNS Chronicle API

We are excited to introduce DNS Chronicle API, the latest addition to our passive DNS offerings. This API release enables use cases such as proactive threat detection and attack surface discovery by providing visibility into the complete DNS history of a domain or an IP address.

With DNS Chronicle API, users can perform two types of passive DNS queries, namely:

• Forward search: Using any FQDN as a search string, users can retrieve its historical A and AAAA records.

• Reverse search: Users can obtain a list of all the FQDNs associated with a given IP address.

WhoisXML API Now Supports Parent-Child API Keys

We’re excited to announce a new feature designed to enhance security and control within your organization while using WhoisXML API products—parent-child API keys. This feature allows account administrators to create and manage individual API keys for different members on their team.

The parent-child API key feature is available for enterprise users only. Please contact us to check your eligibility or if you are an enterprise user and want to turn this feature on.