Domain Hijacking: How It Works and How to Prevent It

What Is Domain Name Hijacking?

Domain hijacking, also known as domain theft, is a cyberattack in which an unauthorized third party takes control over a domain name through social engineering. When a domain is hijacked, legitimate owners lose control over many domain-linked services. This can cause website redirections, disruptions of website content and cloud storage service, loss of website functionality, email misuse, damaging brand reputation, or selling the domain.

How Do Domains Work?

Domain names simplify website access by replacing complex alphanumeric IP addresses with easy-to-remember names. This mapping is managed by the Domain Name System (DNS), which functions as the internet’s phonebook.

When registering a domain, two key entities are involved: registrars and registries. Think of registries as a wholesaler, they maintain a database of all registered domains within a top-level domain (TLD). Registrars act as retailers, handling domain reservations and leasing them to end users for a specified period. There are thousands of registrars worldwide, each facilitating domain registrations under various TLDs.

A domain name consists of multiple parts, separated by dots, moving from general to specific when read from right to left:

• Top-Level Domain (TLD): The section to the right of the last dot, such as “.com”, “.net”, “.co”, “.uk”, or “.in”.
• Second-Level Domain (2LD): The part immediately to the left of the TLD, often representing a brand or website name.
• Third-Level Domain (3LD): If a segment appears before the 2LD, it is called the third-level domain, such as “blog.example.com” where “blog” is the 3LD.

This structured system ensures that every domain name is unique, making web navigation seamless and user-friendly.

Common Methods of Domain Hijacking

Domain hijacking can occur through various tactics, including:

1. Social Engineering & Phishing Attacks

Attackers often manipulate victims into revealing sensitive information through phishing schemes. For example, a hacker might send a deceptive email that appears to be from a legitimate domain registrar. The email contains a link that seems to lead to the registrar’s website but redirects to a fraudulent site designed to steal login credentials.

2. Exploiting Dormant or Expiring Domains

Most domains can only be registered for up to 10 years at a time. While registrars are responsible for notifying users about upcoming expirations, domain owners sometimes fail to renew their domains in time. If a domain is dormant or abandoned, attackers can purchase it and potentially exploit it maliciously.

3. Registrar Breaches

Cybercriminals can target vulnerabilities in domain registrars. For example, during Squarespace’s migration of 10 million domain names from Google Domains, attackers exploited a security flaw to take over accounts and modify DNS records—particularly those of crypto and blockchain companies. This allowed them to redirect visitors to phishing sites aimed at stealing digital assets.

4. Compromised API Keys

Many registrars offer API access to manage domain services. If API keys or authentication tokens are exposed—whether through accidental leaks or security breaches—attackers can gain unauthorized access to registrar accounts, potentially taking control of domains.

Understanding these risks is crucial for domain owners to implement strong security measures and prevent unauthorized takeovers.

How to Prevent Domain Hijacking

To minimize the risk of domain hijacking, ICANN enforces a 60-day waiting period after any changes to registration details before allowing a registrar transfer. This delay helps prevent unauthorized transfers, giving domain owners time to detect and report suspicious activity.

Many top-level domain (TLD) registries also use Extensible Provisioning Protocol (EPP) as a security measure. EPP generates a unique authorization code, accessible only to the domain registrant, preventing unauthorized domain transfers. Before EPP, registries lacked a standardized security approach, making domain management less secure.

In addition to these industry-wide measures, domain owners should take the following steps to secure their domains:

1. Choose a Reputable Domain Registrar

• Use an ICANN-accredited registrar to ensure compliance with security standards.
• Opt for registrars that offer 24/7 support, secure DNS management, and two-factor authentication (2FA).

2. Enable Key Security Features

• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Adds an extra layer of security to prevent unauthorized account access.
• Domain Registry Lock: Prevents unauthorized transfers by locking the domain at the registry level.
• Account Lock: Protects against brute-force attacks by limiting incorrect password attempts and sending security alerts for unusual activity.

3. Protect Your Contact Information

• WHOIS Privacy Protection: Hides personal information (e.g., address, phone number, and email) from public records, reducing the risk of social engineering attacks.
• Keep Domain Contact Details Updated: Expired or outdated contact details can allow attackers to register old domain-associated emails and gain unauthorized control.

4. Implement Strong Security Practices

• Enable Auto-Renewal: Prevents domain expiration, reducing the risk of someone else registering your domain.
• Use Strong, Unique Passwords: Protects against brute-force attacks and credential stuffing.
• Regularly Update Passwords: If a data breach affects any service you use, change your registrar password immediately.
• Never Share Registrar Credentials: Unauthorized access to your domain control panel could lead to DNS changes, domain transfers, or ownership updates.

5. Stay Alert for Phishing Attacks

• Beware of Fake Registrar Emails: Attackers often send phishing emails posing as registrars to steal login credentials. Always verify emails by contacting your registrar through official channels.
• Forward Suspicious Emails to Your Registrar: Report any questionable login requests or security alerts to prevent scams.

6. Separate Domain Registration from Web Hosting

Using different providers for domain name registration and web hosting reduces the risk of a single-point takeover, preventing attackers from accessing both your domain and sensitive website files.

By implementing these precautions, individuals and businesses can significantly reduce the likelihood of domain hijacking and maintain control over their digital assets.

The Impact of Domain Hijacking

Once a domain is compromised, attackers can cause significant disruptions, including:

• Altering Website Content: Replacing or defacing the original site.
• Redirecting Traffic: Sending visitors to malicious or fraudulent websites.
• Intercepting Payments: Diverting online transactions to attacker-controlled accounts.
• Sending Phishing Emails: Using the domain’s mail server to distribute spam or scams.
• Accessing Sensitive Emails: Reading confidential messages sent to corporate inboxes.
• Manipulating API Calls: Disrupting mobile apps and digital services.

Recovering a hijacked domain is challenging and often time-consuming. Transfers between registrars are straightforward, but reclaiming a stolen domain can take weeks or even months, sometimes requiring legal action. Worse, if critical ownership documents were stored in inaccessible accounts, recovery may become nearly impossible.

Beyond the technical difficulties, domain hijacking can result in financial loss, reputational damage, and regulatory penalties, making proactive security measures essential.

Domain Hijacking vs. Domain Spoofing

• Domain Hijacking occurs when an attacker takes control of a legitimately registered domain by gaining unauthorized access to the registrar account. This allows them to transfer ownership, alter DNS settings, or redirect website traffic.
• Domain Spoofing is when cybercriminals create a fake domain or email address that closely resembles a legitimate one. The goal is to deceive users, similar to how a scammer might present fake credentials to gain trust. Unlike domain hijacking, spoofing does not require taking over a registrar account.

Domain Hijacking vs. DNS Hijacking

• Domain Hijacking compromises the entire domain, transferring ownership to an attacker.
• DNS Hijacking (or DNS Poisoning) targets the DNS records stored on a nameserver rather than the domain itself.

DNS records tell the Internet where to find a domain’s IP address. If these records are manipulated or “poisoned,” user traffic can be rerouted to a fraudulent website—often a near-identical replica of the original—designed to distribute malware or steal sensitive information.

While both attacks can have severe consequences, DNS hijacking does not require domain ownership and is often executed by exploiting vulnerabilities in nameservers rather than registrar accounts.

Conclusion

Domain hijacking is a serious threat that can lead to financial losses, reputational damage, and security breaches. Once a domain is compromised, recovering it can be a long and complex process, often requiring legal action. However, businesses and individuals can significantly reduce the risk of domain hijacking by taking proactive security measures—such as choosing a reputable registrar, enabling two-factor authentication, using registry locks, and staying vigilant against phishing attacks.

Maintaining control over your domain is essential for safeguarding your online presence. By implementing strong security practices and staying informed about emerging threats, you can protect your domain from cybercriminals and ensure the integrity of your digital assets.

VPS Malaysia offers robust security measures, including domain registry locks, two-factor authentication, and 24/7 support, ensuring top-tier protection against domain hijacking.