Granted Patent B1

US 12,744,778 · App. 18/121,519 · Granted Sep 22, 2026

Inventor: Sameer Thakar (Leesburg, VA)

Assignee: VeriSign, Inc.

H04L63/10H04L63/062H04L63/068

Abstract

Claims (56)

1 . A computer-implemented method performed by a domain name registry comprising one or more processors and memory accessible by the one or more processors, the memory storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the domain name registry to perform the method, the method comprising:

receiving, via a first communication channel, a request from a registrar for a temporary key associated with a domain name;

transmitting the temporary key to the registrar, wherein the temporary key is associated with the domain name;

receiving, via a second communications channel, the temporary key;

transmitting, via the second communications channel, a permanent key for retrieval by a registrant of the domain name;

receiving, via the second communications channel, a request from the registrant of the domain name, wherein the request from the registrant of the domain name comprises the permanent key; and

based on receiving the request from the registrant of the domain name, performing a registry lock operation associated with the domain name.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the request from the registrar for the temporary key comprises an indication of the domain name.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the second communications channel is a secure channel between the domain name registry and the registrant of the domain name, wherein the second communications channel is secure from the registrar.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , further comprising receiving, via the second communications channel, an indication of the domain name associated with the temporary key.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, via the first communication channel, a first request from the registrar for the registry lock operation associated with the domain name;

wherein receiving the request from the registrant of the domain name comprises:

receiving, via the second communications channel, a second request for the registry lock operation associated with the domain name, wherein the second request comprises the permanent key; and

validating the registry lock operation based on both the first request and the second request; and

wherein the registry lock operation is performed after validating the registry lock operation, and wherein the registry lock operation comprises updating one or more records associated with the domain name.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the first request comprises an indication of the domain name.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein validating the registry lock operation comprises validating the first request, the permanent key, and the domain name.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein receiving, via the second communications channel, the temporary key comprises:

receiving, via the second communications channel, a request from the registrant of the domain name for the permanent key, wherein the request from the registrant of the domain name includes the temporary key.

9 . An apparatus to register domain names, comprising at least one processor and memory accessible by the at least one processor, the memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor, the instructions when executed by the at least one processor causing the apparatus to:

receive a request from a registrar to register a domain name and for a temporary key associated with the domain name;

register the domain name;

generate the temporary key for the domain name;

provide, via an in-band channel, the temporary key;

receive, via an out-of-band channel, the temporary key;

generate a permanent key based on the temporary key;

provide, via the out-of-band channel, the permanent key;

receive, via the out-of-band channel, a request from a registrant of the domain name, wherein the request from the registrant of the domain name comprises the permanent key; and

based on receiving the request from the registrant of the domain name, perform a registry lock operation associated with the domain name.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , the instructions, when executed, further causing the apparatus to:

receive, via the in-band channel, a first request to lock or unlock data associated with the domain name, wherein the first request does not include the permanent key;

receive, via the out-of-band channel, a second request to lock or unlock the data associated with the domain name, wherein the second request includes the permanent key, wherein the out-of-band channel is different than the in-band channel;

determine whether a lock or unlock operation for the domain name is authorized based on both the first request and the second request; and

upon determining that the lock or unlock operation for the domain name is authorized, perform the lock or unlock operation on at least one record of the domain name.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , the instructions, when executed, further causing the apparatus to:

upon determining that the lock or unlock operation for the domain name is not authorized, notify at least one or both of the registrar or the registrant of the domain name.

12 . An apparatus to register domain names, comprising at least one processor and memory accessible by the at least one processor, the memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor, the executed instructions when executed by the at least one processor implementing:

a shared registry system configured to store information associated with a plurality of domain name registrations;

a registry lock/unlock engine configured to interact with the shared registry system, to:

provide, in response to a request from a registrar, a temporary key for a registered domain name, wherein the temporary key is configured for provisioning a permanent key for the registered domain name, and

authorize a registry lock operation based on validation of a request from a registrant of the registered domain name comprising the permanent key; and

a registry lock/unlock user interface configured to interact with the registry lock/unlock engine, wherein the registry lock/unlock user interface is configured to provide the permanent key for the registered domain name based on the temporary key received by the registry lock/unlock user interface.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the registry lock/unlock engine is configured to receive a first request to lock or unlock data associated with the registered domain name, wherein the first request does not include the permanent key associated with the registered domain name,

wherein the registry lock/unlock user interface is configured to receive a second request to lock or unlock the data associated with the registered domain name, wherein the second request includes the permanent key associated with the registered domain name.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the registry lock/unlock engine is configured to authorize a registry lock/unlock operation based on the first request and the permanent key associated with the registered domain name, and

wherein, when the registry lock/unlock operation is authorized, the registry lock/unlock engine is configured to perform the registry lock/unlock operation on at least one record of the registered domain name based on the first request and the second request.

15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium of a domain name registry, the computer-readable medium comprising instructions, the instructions when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method comprising:

receiving a request from a registrar for a temporary key associated with a domain name;

generating the temporary key for the domain name;

transmitting the temporary key to the registrar;

receiving a request from a registrant for a permanent key based on the temporary key;

generating a permanent key based on the temporary key;

transmitting the permanent key to the registrant, wherein the transmitting the permanent key to the registrant comprises securing the permanent key from the registrar;

receiving a request from the registrant, wherein the request from the registrant comprises the permanent key; and

based on receiving the request from the registrant, performing a registry lock operation associated with the domain name.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (21)