In today’s day and age, where cyber security is becoming an increasingly attentive point for business owners and operators around the world, it’s important that domain registrants take the necessary measures to keep their domain name secure.
While we often think of business security being restricted to financial integrity and the physical premises of an establishment, the effect of a domain name falling into the wrong hands can have a profound impact – even if only for a short period of time! The problem isn’t just restricted to big-name brands either, with the rationale behind such incidents often attributable to personal motivations.
When security is compromised, one of the common repercussions is that the site is redirected to an alternative website. This might be a competitor within the same industry, a monetised click-bait site, or perhaps a website designed to compromise the integrity and reputation of the original domain. Alternatively, domain name hijackers who gain access to a domain may even try to cancel the domain’s registration, or switch it to another registrant.
With that said, below are some measures you can implement to keep your domain name secure:
When setting up your password, ensure that it is not based on anything memorable or related to the domain name. While it might be easy enough to name it after the web page, or opt to use a default password, these will be among the first options domain hijackers use to try access an account. Use a mix of numbers and letters but don’t make it hard enough for you to remember that you then need to write it down. Of course, if you do have to write it down, keep it stored securely and change it from time to time.
Log-in details should be restricted to those with direct responsibilities regarding the maintenance of the domain and/or website. Other requests should be directed through these designated gatekeepers to mitigate the possibility of the data being leaked inadvertently (or even deliberately).
It makes sense for a registrant to monitor their account from time to time, while one smart initiative is to amend the username login to reflect another email address. After all, because the Whois function explicitly states the default email address, malicious users may already have half the info they need to access your account if you fail to change this.
Maintain up to date contact details for the domain and your company to ensure that you receive all correspondence. Don’t make the mistake of registering a domain to a broker or another party, it needs to be registered under your company name.
First and foremost, computer and email security itself plays a vital role. Ensure your system is protected against potential viral threats, and avoid using the same login combination as your email account. Should you receive any suspicious emails about your domain or web management account, proceed with caution and conduct the necessary due diligence. A reliable registrar and web host are also critical security measures, as is their ability to provide good customer service.
That’s it for this occasion, stay tuned for our next educational article. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Best wishes,
The Netfleet Team
This post is tagged: contact details, domain name security; domain name hijacking
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