Verifying against the live site and live WHOIS/DNS…
Common questions
Is brown.edu legit or a scam?
AboutUs doesn't label sites "legit" or "a scam": this page lists the dated registration, DNS, HTTPS, mail-authentication and safety checks we could verify, each with its source, so you can decide for yourself.
Who owns brown.edu?
Nobody has completed AboutUs's owner verification for brown.edu. That's true of most sites here — it isn't itself a warning sign.
Correct a description, link or other detail. Submissions are reviewed before publication.
Lifeline · brown.edu over time
Checked in the last 30 daysOlder, dated recordFrom registration records
On AboutUs since 2006 · one registrar since Jan 10, 2025 · no ownership change on record since 2009 · last checked Oct 25, 2026.
Registration
No registration date on file yet. AboutUs reads it from RDAP when the site is checked.
AboutUs record
AboutUs wiki pageAboutUs wiki pageJun 19, 2006 – Nov 2, 2013An AboutUs wiki page described brown.edu from Jun 19, 2006 to Nov 2, 2013 (18 edits).Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006–2023Said about itself in 2006Jul 1, 2006“Brown University, Providence, RI. Known for its unique curriculum, Brown University is America's seventh oldest college, and a member of the Ivy League.”Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006
Registrar
EducauseJan 10, 2025 – Apr 22, 2025 (latest)Registrar Educause (IANA 365) in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for brown.edu, from Jan 10, 2025 to Apr 22, 2025.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)
Ownership
Ownership recordsJan 7, 2009 – Jun 26, 2026Registration records for brown.edu are held from Jan 7, 2009 to Jun 26, 2026 (312 records). None shows a change of registrant. Privacy-service and redaction changes are not counted.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is); counted by registrant name and organization only
No ownership changes recorded, 2009–2026
Zone file
Nameservers: brown.edu, ucsb.eduNameservers: brown.edu, ucsb.eduJan 7, 2009 – Jun 26, 2026Registration records listed brown.edu, ucsb.edu nameservers (dark.brown.edu, knot.brown.edu, ns1.ucsb.edu) for brown.edu from Jan 7, 2009 to Jun 26, 2026.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Certificate
Google Trust ServicesAug 28, 2026 – Oct 26, 2026Google Trust Services issued 106 certificates for brown.edu from Aug 28, 2026, the latest valid until Jan 24, 2027.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)Internet2Oct 22, 2026 – Oct 26, 2026
2010201520202025Apr ’26← last 12 months, drawn wider
Every dated fact on this lifeline (11)
Jun 19, 2006 – Nov 2, 2013AboutUs record: An AboutUs wiki page described brown.edu from Jun 19, 2006 to Nov 2, 2013 (18 edits).Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006–2023
Jul 1, 2006AboutUs record: “Brown University, Providence, RI. Known for its unique curriculum, Brown University is America's seventh oldest college, and a member of the Ivy League.”Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006
Jul 1, 2007AboutUs record: “Brown University is a fine example of a University who hasn’t always played by the book, yet has been able to achieve wonderful academic programs while keeping students happy and involved. They have seen their share of …”Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2007
Jan 7, 2009 – Jun 26, 2026Ownership: Registration records for brown.edu are held from Jan 7, 2009 to Jun 26, 2026 (312 records). None shows a change of registrant. Privacy-service and redaction changes are not counted.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is); counted by registrant name and organization only
Jan 7, 2009 – Jun 26, 2026Zone file: Registration records listed brown.edu, ucsb.edu nameservers (dark.brown.edu, knot.brown.edu, ns1.ucsb.edu) for brown.edu from Jan 7, 2009 to Jun 26, 2026.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Said about itself in 2007
Jul 1, 2007
“Brown University is a fine example of a University who hasn’t always played by the book, yet has been able to achieve wonderful academic programs while keeping students happy and involved. They have seen their share of …”
Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2007
Current AboutUs recordJun 17, 2026 – Oct 25, 2026 (latest)Authority and Safety last refreshed Oct 25, 2026.Source: AboutUs checks
Internet2 issued 206 certificates for brown.edu from Oct 22, 2026, the latest valid until May 13, 2027.
Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
Let's EncryptOct 23, 2026 – Oct 26, 2026Let's Encrypt issued 60 certificates for brown.edu from Oct 23, 2026, the latest valid until Jan 24, 2027.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
Certificate from Internet2Certificate from Internet2Nov 18, 2025 – Oct 18, 2026 (latest)Internet2 certificate valid Nov 18, 2025 to Nov 18, 2026, as seen on Oct 18, 2026.Source: TLS check, Oct 18, 2026
Jan 10, 2025 – Apr 22, 2025
Registrar: Registrar Educause (IANA 365) in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for brown.edu, from Jan 10, 2025 to Apr 22, 2025.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)
Nov 18, 2025 – Oct 18, 2026Certificate: Internet2 certificate valid Nov 18, 2025 to Nov 18, 2026, as seen on Oct 18, 2026.Source: TLS check, Oct 18, 2026
Jun 17, 2026 – Oct 25, 2026AboutUs record: Authority and Safety last refreshed Oct 25, 2026.Source: AboutUs checks
Aug 28, 2026 – Oct 26, 2026Certificate: Google Trust Services issued 106 certificates for brown.edu from Aug 28, 2026, the latest valid until Jan 24, 2027.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
Oct 22, 2026 – Oct 26, 2026Certificate: Internet2 issued 206 certificates for brown.edu from Oct 22, 2026, the latest valid until May 13, 2027.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
Oct 23, 2026 – Oct 26, 2026Certificate: Let's Encrypt issued 60 certificates for brown.edu from Oct 23, 2026, the latest valid until Jan 24, 2027.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
Site is live · HTTPS valid
Brown University
Brown University is a research university offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs across schools including engineering, medicine, public health, and international affairs. It serves students and researchers pursuing academic excellence and research innovation in Providence, Rhode Island.
Authority 44/100— ahead of 44% of the August 2026 scored sampleClear
Why this authority score
44 is a percentile: higher than 44% of sites we score.
How it's calculated
Prominence (Tranco rank #3,658)+10
Verified continuity: no corroborating history lines+2
Identity corroboration (capped)+4
Security & email hygiene+5
Calibration adjustment (published map)+3
Model score: 24/99 — what these reason lines add up to.
Published Authority (percentile): 44/100 — this site's rank against the August 2026 scored sample. Public Authority is capped at 99.
What brown.edu said about itself, 2006–2007
Quoted from the site's AboutUs wiki page in each year it changed (2 versions). These are the page's own words at the time, not AboutUs's assessment. New words · dropped words
2006
Brown University, Providence, RI. Known for its unique curriculum, Brown University is America's seventh oldest college, and a member of the Ivy League.
2007
Brown University is a fine example of a University who hasn’t always played by the book, yet has been able to achieve wonderful academic programs while keeping students happy and involved. They have seen their share of controversy from the very start by allowing people from different Religions to attend the college.rewritten
Now
Brown University is a research university offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs across schools including engineering, medicine, public health, and international affairs. It serves students and researchers pursuing academic excellence and research innovation in Providence, Rhode Island.
AboutUs summary of the current website, Oct 7, 2026.
Site history
Dated record — historical facts always carry their date; self-description below is the 2013 record.
2006
First tracked by AboutUs (Jun 19, 2006); profile edited 18 times through 2013.
2013
Self-description at the time:
“Brown.edu is Brown University, an Ivy Leage college in Rhode Island”
No unexpired threat-feed result; name-similarity check available (recorded about 1 days ago); 3/3 transport and email checks available (oldest recorded about 1 days ago). This is evidence coverage, not a probability that a website is safe.
No caution flags in the available scoring observations; this is not a complete safety assessment