Transferring a domain name from one registrar company to another commonly entails the use of a unique transfer code, which different companies call an EPP key, a domain name password or an Auth code. This code can be used as a security mechanism against unsolicited transfers with all gTLD and with most ccTLD extensions. It can be obtained only by the owner of the specific domain name and is provided by the present registrar company. It must be given to the new registrar company because the transfer process cannot be initiated without it. The code is case-sensitive and commonly contains digits and special characters, so as to prevent unauthenticated individuals from deciphering it. Certain registrar companies even change the codes of domain names registered through them after a given interval of time for better safety.