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    "title" : "An introduction to domain management |Digital.gov",
    "description": "An introduction to domain management",
    "home_page_url" : "/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/","feed_url" : "/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/resources/an-introduction-to-domain-management/index.json","item" : [
    {"title" :"An introduction to domain management","deck" : "Understand how and why to manage your domain","summary" : "A .gov domain instantly conveys credibility and trustworthiness, and proper domain management practices ensure that your website is secure and accessible.","date" : "2023-11-28T14:38:00-05:00","date_modified" : "2025-01-27T19:42:55-05:00","topics" : {
        
            "domain-management" : "Domain management",
            "security" : "Security",
            "trust" : "Trust"
            },"branch" : "bc-archive-content-3",
      "filename" :"an-introduction-to-domain-management.md",
      
      "filepath" :"resources/an-introduction-to-domain-management.md",
      "filepathURL" :"https://github.com/GSA/digitalgov.gov/blob/bc-archive-content-3/content/resources/an-introduction-to-domain-management.md",
      "editpathURL" :"https://github.com/GSA/digitalgov.gov/edit/bc-archive-content-3/content/resources/an-introduction-to-domain-management.md","slug" : "an-introduction-to-domain-management","url" : "/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/resources/an-introduction-to-domain-management/","weight" : "8","content" :"\u003ch2 id=\"what-is-domain-management\"\u003eWhat is domain management?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt should be easy to identify governments on the internet, and using a \u003cstrong\u003e.gov\u003c/strong\u003e top-level domain (TLD) shows that you’re official. The public shouldn’t have to guess whether the site they’re on or the email that hits their inbox is genuine.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA domain uniquely identifies areas on the internet, like websites or email services. For example, \u003ccode\u003eDigital.gov\u003c/code\u003e is a domain, consisting of 1) the second-level domain \u003ccode\u003edigital\u003c/code\u003e, and 2) the top-level domain \u003ccode\u003e.gov\u003c/code\u003e. \u003ca href=\"https://digital.gov/topics/domain-management/\"\u003eDomain management\u003c/a\u003e is the process of overseeing and maintaining a domain or related domains so that they are consistent and safe.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDomain management and web hosting are often confused for one another. However, domain management is different from web hosting in the same way that a house is different from the street address that leads to it. A domain can be a name and a location. For example, Digital.gov. is the name of an organization, but the Digital.gov domain also serves as our web address on the internet. Web hosting, by contrast, happens only behind the scenes; as an online service, a web host provides the physical (\u0026ldquo;dedicated\u0026rdquo;) and/or virtual servers needed to publish a discoverable website on the internet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"why-is-domain-management-important\"\u003eWhy is domain management important?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s important to make sure that domains are chosen and maintained well. Your domain name is one of the first lines of trust when it comes to interacting with your agency. If people navigating the internet can match the name of your domain with the name of your agency in such a way that the user can understand that they have found the correct place, that’s one step in \u003ca href=\"https://digital.gov/topics/trust/\"\u003eestablishing trust\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eManaging domains is also key for \u003ca href=\"https://digital.gov/topics/security/\"\u003esecurity\u003c/a\u003e. People with malicious intent can register domain names that are similar to agency sites, and, as a result, can trick people into giving away their personal information, and more. For example, malicious actors have sought to \u003ca href=\"https://get.gov/domains/election-offices/\"\u003eimpersonate election organizations\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you use a \u003ccode\u003e.gov\u003c/code\u003e TLD, it increases security because the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cisa.gov/\"\u003eCybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency\u003c/a\u003e (CISA) manages the .gov top-level domain and authenticates the identity of each account. Read more about the \u003ca href=\"https://get.gov/domains/benefits\"\u003ebenefit of .gov domains\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"how-to-manage-your-domains-well\"\u003eHow to manage your domains well\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoose\u003c/strong\u003e your domain name in a way that is consistent with your agency’s overall branding and marketing goals. Work with your communications or marketing department to select the most straightforward representation of your agency’s name.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMeasure\u003c/strong\u003e by using analytics tools to track how your domain names are performing in search engines and other online channels.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProtect\u003c/strong\u003e your domain and your users by keeping domain registrations up-to-date and your \u003ca href=\"https://get.gov/help/#dns\"\u003eDomain Name System\u003c/a\u003e (DNS) records accurate. You should also be monitoring your domain name to protect against similar but fraudulent domains. Encrypt all web traffic across your websites and “\u003ca href=\"https://get.gov/domains/security/#preload-your-domain\"\u003epreload\u003c/a\u003e” all registered .gov or .mil domains as HTTPS-only for modern web browsers. Additionally, \u003ca href=\"https://get.gov/domains/security/#use-dmarc-to-prevent-email-impersonation\"\u003eemail authentication best practices\u003c/a\u003e make it difficult for malicious actors to successfully \u0026ldquo;spoof\u0026rdquo; (impersonate) your domain in email.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimplify\u003c/strong\u003e the user experience by maintaining as few domains and subdomains as possible. It can be tempting to add new domains for new projects, but keep in mind that more domains means more risk—and more to manage as your agency grows.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"what-can-i-do-next\"\u003eWhat can I do next?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDomain management is about more than just DNS. It’s also about ensuring a safe experience for your organization and your users. CISA provides several \u003ca href=\"https://get.gov/domains/security/\"\u003edomain security best practices\u003c/a\u003e, including:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdd a security contact\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDevelop a vulnerability disclosure policy (VDP)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor example, having a security contact for .gov domains makes it easier for the public to tell you of a potential security issue with your online services. It is relatively easy to:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCheck CISA’s \u003ca href=\"https://flatgithub.com/cisagov/dotgov-data/blob/main/?filename=current-full.csv\"\u003epublished domain data\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn the \u003ccode\u003eDomain Name\u003c/code\u003e column, type in your domain to filter the data and display the record for your domain.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eScroll right to confirm if an email for a security contact is listed.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollow the instructions to \u003ca href=\"https://get.gov/domains/security/\"\u003eupdate or add a security contact\u003c/a\u003e if needed.\u003c/p\u003e\n"}
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}