A domain is worth protecting. It’s tied directly to a business, and in today’s high-speed online world, it’s the number one way customers access the services provided.

Domain protection, therefore, is something that all domain owners should be aware of and actively work with to stay up-to-date. If you’re looking into how to protect your domain name, keep reading to understand the risks and steps that can be taken to help meet this goal.

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Risks Associated with Bad Domain Management

The risks of not protecting a website can be severe. Below are the main risks associated with poor domain management and security:

Financial loss: if control is lost, this can critically impact the income of the affected company.
Reputational damage: hackers can change data within the page to defamatory or incorrect statements. If customers hear about the breach, they will also lose trust.
Data breach: a website can be spoofed if the right people get ahold of the data. This means they can pretend to be your business and gather critical personal information about customers, such as names and payment credentials.

Best Practices for Protecting Your Domain from Cyber Attacks

1. Doamin Registration

To start, make sure the registration company is legitimate and accredited. It should have built up trust over the years and be a reputable business. Check testimonials, and be sure to look at reviews that are not contained on the page itself, as these can potentially be manufactured.

Another thing to look out for is that sometimes, the registration company may use a third or even fourth party to manage domains. If these parties are not as reputable, it can cause security issues and disputes further down the line.

Some registrars also have varying security options. This could include hiding contact details and monitoring for threats – like hackers and breach attempts. The registrar can potentially also give the option of refusing to transfer a domain name unless the owner has given explicit and direct permission.

Checking a site such as ICANN will give a list of accredited registrants that can be chosen from.

2. Create Strong Login Credentials

The sign-in details to access the page should be long and complex. They don’t need to be memorized, but the credentials should be stored in a very safe place and should not be shared with anyone who does not need them.

The password itself should contain a variety of numbers, upper and lower case letters, and special characters. This will make it much harder for someone to guess or hack the login details to the site.

3. Beware of Phishing Scams

While phishing is a relatively commonplace scam nowadays, if the scammer is convincing enough, anyone could be tricked into handing over their data. Be sure never to give out sign-in credentials unless the person is known and trusted; otherwise, the scammer could use the data to transfer ownership into their name and cause havoc.

Keyloggers may also be inserted if there is a vulnerability found, meaning inputs can be tracked and details stolen.

All of this just means it’s extremely important to keep the site secure and the sign-in details safe.

4. Acquire Similar Domains

Sometimes, hackers and scammers duplicate a domain and change the name ever so slightly, so it can look the same at first glance. This can redirect traffic from unsuspecting customers to make purchases on an illegitimate site.

If there’s a similar name that is available – which would be an obvious choice for scammers – it may be advisable to purchase this so that scammers can’t get to it first. There’s no obligation to use these other names, but knowing they won’t fall into the wrong hands and hurt the business is worth it.

5. Use Firewalls

Firewalls are an integral part of any business and can be used to help protect your domain. Ensuring the site is behind a firewall will ultimately assist in promoting a secure domain.

They are used to filter traffic to your site and can also identify malware and other software that could be harmful. They are essential for eliminating cyber attacks and, in addition, can stop users on your network from accessing sites that may cause damage.

Firewalls can also detect spyware and make sure this is removed so that no data is leaked.

In summary, it has been established that domain protection is just as important as protecting the rest of a business. The risks of cyber attacks have been laid out, from financial loss to data breaches.

Also covered were ways to mitigate those risks and additional security measures to keep your company safe. Staying protected online is the best way to ensure there is no risk to your business or your customers.

Related Posts:

Protecting Your Domain from Cyber Attacks: Best Practices for Enhanced Security

Risks Associated with Bad Domain Management