We’ve been managing a portfolio of around 15,000 domains, including working with about 10 registrars as a reseller, also providing bulletproof domain register service, so I’d like to share some insights based on our experience.
As you might know, ICANN has become quite strict, and the concept of 'completely bulletproof' domains is practically non-existent nowadays. However, there’s an important nuance here: ICANN itself doesn’t directly intervene in every complaint—it’s more about how complaints are handled at the registrar level.
The first step is understanding that registrars in different countries react differently to abuse complaints. Some are more lenient for certain niches. For example, we’ve seen a customer in the malware sector face issues with a Chinese registrar (where we act as a reseller) but remain trouble-free for months (still) with a registrar in another country. This highlights the importance of choosing a country and registrar that align with your specific needs.
TLD selection is another critical aspect. Some TLDs, like .cc, .su, .ru, and .us, are most using for phising domains, based on current reports, so choosing the right TLD for your niche can also make a big difference.
In summary, to get as close as possible to a 'bulletproof' domain, you’ll want to focus on:
- Choosing a country that’s lenient for your industry.
- Picking a registrar in that country with a reputation for being less reactive to abuse reports.
- Selecting an appropriate TLD for your niche.
Once you’ve nailed these steps—or if you work with a knowledgeable reseller who can guide you—you’ll only have ICANN complaints to consider, which often take time to process. If the registrar is known to ignore abuse reports, your domain could stay active for quite good a while.
