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.