This documents the current WHOIS and DNS status of the autistici.org domain and their seemingly conflicting message as of 2026-09-05.

WHOIS entry

whois autistici.org results in the following output as of today:

Domain Name: autistici.org
Registry Domain ID: REDACTED
Registrar WHOIS Server: http://whois.gandi.net
Registrar URL: http://www.gandi.net
Updated Date: 2026-08-28T01:57:20Z
Creation Date: 2000-08-10T10:49:11Z
Registry Expiry Date: 2029-08-10T10:49:11Z
Registrar: Gandi SAS
Registrar IANA ID: 81
Registrar Abuse Contact Email: abuse@support.gandi.net
Registrar Abuse Contact Phone: +33.170377661
Domain Status: serverHold https://icann.org/epp#serverHold
Domain Status: clientTransferProhibited https://icann.org/epp#clientTransferProhibited
Domain Status: serverTransferProhibited https://icann.org/epp#serverTransferProhibited
Domain Status: serverUpdateProhibited https://icann.org/epp#serverUpdateProhibited
Name Server: ns1-v6.investici.org
Name Server: ns2-v6.investici.org
Name Server: ns1.investici.org
Name Server: ns2.investici.org
Name Server: ns3.investici.org
Name Server: ns3-v6.investici.org
DNSSEC: signedDelegation
URL of the ICANN Whois Inaccuracy Complaint Form: https://icann.org/wicf/
>>> Last update of WHOIS database: 2026-09-05T14:19:25Z <<<

For more information on Whois status codes, please visit https://icann.org/epp

Terms of Use: Access to Public Interest Registry WHOIS information is provided to assist persons in determining the contents of a domain name registration record in the Public Interest Registry registry database. The data in this record is provided by Public Interest Registry for informational purposes only, and Public Interest Registry does not guarantee its accuracy. This service is intended only for query-based access. You agree that you will use this data only for lawful purposes and that, under no circumstances will you use this data to (a) allow, enable, or otherwise support the transmission by e-mail, telephone, or facsimile of mass unsolicited, commercial advertising or solicitations to entities other than the data recipient's own existing customers; or (b) enable high volume, automated, electronic processes that send queries or data to the systems of Registry Operator, a Registrar, or Identity Digital except as reasonably necessary to register domain names or modify existing registrations. All rights reserved. Public Interest Registry reserves the right to modify these terms at any time. By submitting this query, you agree to abide by this policy.  The Registrar of Record identified in this output may have an RDDS service that can be queried for additional information on how to contact the Registrant, Admin, or Tech contact of the queried domain name.

DNS entry

dig @a0.org.afilias-nst.info autistici.org any results in the following output as of today:

; <<>> DiG 9.20.26-1~deb13u1-Debian <<>> @a0.org.afilias-nst.info autistici.org any
; (2 servers found)
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NXDOMAIN, id: 54002
;; flags: qr aa rd; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 1, ADDITIONAL: 1
;; WARNING: recursion requested but not available

;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags:; udp: 1232
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;autistici.org.			IN	ANY

;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
org.			3600	IN	SOA	a0.org.afilias-nst.info. hostmaster.donuts.email. 1788618751 7200 900 1209600 3600

;; Query time: 296 msec
;; SERVER: 2001:500:e::1#53(a0.org.afilias-nst.info) (TCP)
;; WHEN: Sat Sep 05 16:37:49 CEST 2026
;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 124

Analysis

From a superficial WHOIS analysis, it would seem that the domain is still delegated to Autistici/Inventati.

Although they are not mentioned by name, as is usual today, especially for anything related to Europe, the name servers listed mention investici.org, a blend between inventati and autistici, maybe even a pun on investments. The IP addresses pointed to by both investici.org and inventati.org, the backup domain used after the cancellation of autistici.org, are identical. Also, the name servers are identical.

Moreover, all three domain names have been registered in 2000 and 2001 and are currently registered through the same registrar, the French company gandi.net.

The WHOIS response even lists the six DNS servers Autistici/Inventati uses for their domains.

So, how can it be blocked, then?

Looking at the DNS response, the status is listed as NXDOMAIN, no such domain, no contents returned.

So the sanction seems to have taken effect. But how?

The WHOIS answer also includes the line

Domain Status: serverHold https://icann.org/epp#serverHold

Following the https://icann.org/epp#serverHold link, we get to the following piece of information (emphasis mine):

This status code is set by your domain’s Registry Operator. Your domain is not activated in the DNS.

If you provided delegation information (name servers), this status may indicate an issue with your domain that needs resolution. If so, you should contact your registrar to request more information. If your domain does not have any issues, but you need it to resolve in the DNS, you must first contact your registrar in order to provide the necessary delegation information.

So the status was set by the Registry Operator for .org, in this case the Public Interest Registry and it indicates the domain is not active in DNS.

Summary

• In WHOIS, the domain is still listed as registered
• However, it has the serverHold flag set, which disables DNS.
• Therefore, DNS is not responding
• And with DNS not returning valid information for autistici.org, no services can be reached through this domain.