Domain names are such a well-ingrained part of the web, it is easy to take
them for granted. Many of us never consider that when we surf to our
favorite website, we are actually entering in a specific and 100% unique
web address. Therefore, it is important to carefully consider the
security of any domain name.
Are domain names really vulnerable to security threats? The short answer is
yes! Domain theft or hijacking is not common, but can wreak a great
deal of havoc. Just like identity theft will not strike most of us in
our lifetimes, domain hijacking may not happen, but we must take steps
to avoid both.
How can we secure our domain names? First, let’s understand the
vulnerabilities. For many would-be domain hijackers, the preferred
method is password cracking. This could mean that the hijacker will
hardware or software to determine or crack a password. Alternatively, in
some cases a business or personal associate will steal this important
information. Another common method of obtaining this information is by
viewing the web history, cookies, or stored web cache of a public or
shared computer.
So how do we avoid having our own domain names hijacked? The answer is
simple. First, use difficult to decipher passwords that are unique. Use
only passwords which contain both letters, numbers and symbols (such as
the “@” or “&” symbol), are not easy to guess, and are used only for
one website or log-in. Note that this means a different password should
be used for each domain registration. Failure to do this could result
in a “domino effect” of hijacked domain names. Second, keep all log-in
information information a secret. Third, avoid accessing information of
this nature on public or shared computers, or if you must use them, take
clear to clear all web surfing activity from the computer after your
session.
