What is domain hijacking?

Digital assets like websites are prone to cyber-attacks that can lead to severe repercussions, like financial loss and damage to reputation. A particularly dangerous attack is domain hijacking.  

Domain hijacking occurs when a cybercriminal illegally takes control of one’s domain name. Then, they use it for fraudulent activities purposes like pharming. 

Many businesses and organizations fall victim to domain hijacking, regardless of size, which can impact credibility with customers and impact finances. 

Let’s explore how cybercriminals hijack a domain, how to prevent it, and what to do when it happens. 

How domain hijacking happens  

Hijacking a domain is not easy, which is why cybercriminals need to be creative when attempting to take over a domain. They employ techniques that can get around unsuspecting victims, even domain service providers. Awareness of these techniques is a great step towards protecting your domain and digital assets from cyber-attacks. Below are the commonly used ways to hijack a domain name: 

Social engineering 

Social engineering is a trick to manipulate people into revealing sensitive information or taking actions that can compromise security. It often involves impersonating someone trustworthy or creating a sense of urgency to deceive the victim. An example of this is when a hacker might pretend to be from a bank or a tech support company, asking for personal information or requesting remote access to a device. The unknowing victim processes the request because they appear legitimate. 

Understanding social engineering tactics helps better protect yourself and your organization from these attacks. 

Phishing 

Phishing is a specific form of social engineering where attackers pose as legitimate individuals, or institutions, to obtain sensitive information. Through this, attackers can plant malicious software on a device and gain control over it. The most common example of a phishing attack is when you receive a renewal email for a service you have already paid for or aren’t even subscribed to. The email contains a message urging you to pay immediately by clicking a link or else they will suspend your subscription. 

Exploiting security misconfiguration and other vulnerabilities 

Attackers love to take advantage of server vulnerabilities, especially on the registrar’s end. They make these weaknesses an avenue to gain access to confidential information such as email addresses and login details. This allows cybercriminals to access domain registrar accounts and update the domain’s DNS records, alter website content, or transfer domain ownership. Make sure to choose service providers like Domain.com that utilize solid security protocols, discouraging any fraudulent activities. 

Also make sure to update your email address on your service provider’s database if you decide to change it. The domain’s registered email address is the channel for any updates related to your domain, such as renewals and changes in contact information. Say your domain’s registered email address is already inactive, and you forgot to update it; you won’t be notified about any changes made to your account — owner changes or DNS settings alterations — since all the updates are being sent to that inactive email. This can give attackers the chance to hijack the domain through social engineering. 

Consequences of domain hijacking  

Domain hijackers can cause an organization massive damage, like damage to reputation. Especially in eCommerce, where sales and profits heavily depend on website traffic. The repercussions can be brief, like a temporary loss of website access, or can last for more extended periods. 

Loss of website access and reputation damage  

When perl.com was hijacked in early 2021, its users lost access to the website. The hackers changed its domain name system (DNS) configuration. Hence, it was disconnected from its web hosting. The owners eventually recovered the domain and reconnected it, but the consequences lasted several weeks, resulting in the domain’s reputation dropping, and it was blacklisted on several security products like McAfee. 

Financial losses 

A company dependent on its website for revenue can take a massive blow to its finances regardless of duration. Think about the potential losses of unsuspecting target of a domain hijacking where the website is inaccessible for days. Not only will it lose potential online transactions, but also lose its credibility, leading to a poor brand image in the long run. 

SEO implications 

As a customer, it’s never a good experience to land on a page full of pesky ads and suspicious links. Web pages such as this are prevalent in hijacked domains—the DNS is altered so visitors are redirected to a fake website. The site will eventually lose its traffic because of the redirection and, as a result, will rank poorly on search engines. 

5 ways to prevent domain hijacking 

As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. This adage remains significant in protecting digital assets, as any form of breach in security can lead to catastrophic consequences. Below are ways to prevent domain hijacking:  

1. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) or multifactor authentication (MFA) 

Two-factor authentication and multifactor authentication are critical security measures in protecting your account. They provide an extra layer of verification so nobody can easily access your account, even if your credentials are stolen. That said, the lack of both can instantly expose your domain to any cyber-attacks.   

Domain registrars, like Domain.com, usually provide this feature to ensure your domain is safe.   

2. Use strong passwords 

Using strong passwords makes it harder for infiltrators to take over your account.  Cybersecurity experts recommend increasing the length and complexity of your password by combining symbols and numbers with upper and lowercase letters or using a passphrase (e.g., iloveMyDogSylvie143).    

3. Use a domain registrar with strong security features 

The domain registrar can play a huge role in protecting your domain. Domain hijacking usually happens when hackers find vulnerabilities in a registrar’s security. Hackers can exploit these vulnerabilities through social engineering or accessing domains’ accounts. It’s essential to research your registrar before buying a domain from them. Make sure to choose a reputable domain service provider with strong security such as Domain.com.  

4. Keep your contact information up to date 

Keep your contact information updated, especially your registered email address. Using an active email allows you to receive notification from your registrar about any attempts to access your account or change its contact information. It is also important to hide your domain private details from the public by using a Domain Privacy Protection. The best service providers offer this security feature. 

5. Lock your domain 

Domain lock is a feature provided by a registrar to prevent unauthorized transfers of the domain to a different service provider. Domain lock also protects you from any DNS modification, preventing any unauthorized redirection to malicious web pages. 

What to do if your domain is hijacked 

Say it is too late, and you suspect your domain has been hijacked. While all may not be lost, sadly, you only have a few options to recover your domain at this point.  

Reach out to your domain registrar 

A good registrar should have procedures in place to handle domain hijacking. They should be able to give you instructions on recovering the domain. Provide them with proof of ownership, such as recent invoices, personal identification, and other relevant registration details to help expedite the process. 

File a legal dispute 

If the registrar is unable or unwilling to help, file a complaint with ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). ICANN oversees domain registrars and enforces dispute policies for domain names. Filing a dispute may help recover control of your domain if it has been transferred illegally. 

Staying vigilant in a digital world  

As our world increasingly digitalizes information and business processes, we have become more susceptible to cyber-attacks such as domain hijacking.  

Hence, taking steps to safeguard our digital assets has become more critical than ever. It starts with being knowledgeable about the techniques used by attackers, our poor security practices, and the negative impact domain hijacking has on organizations.  

Stay ahead of the infiltrators and protect your domain and website with Domain.com’s Sitelock Security and SSL certificate. Domain.com also helps hide your domain’s private information from the public using WHOIS Privacy Protection. Fortify your domain’s defenses now!