Protecting Domain Name from Cyber Squatting and Hijacking

Before I go into details about protecting your domain name, you should first know that there is no business operating under the sun that has got no risks. Perhaps that is the reason why businesses get rewards in term of profits. It is agreed by business school of thought that the higher the risk in any given business venture, the higher the rewards.

Online businesses are no islands on this matter too. It is really heartbreaking and total confusion when you realize that some cruel lazy person somewhere has actually messed with your domain name. How has she messed with it? Well… am going to tell you how this happens.

Cyber squatting is where a person registers a name which is another person’s trade mark without his consent. The cyber squatter will sell it at inflated price. If you have a trade mark, somebody can cyber squatter it. Cyber squatters usually register many trademarks and speculate selling them at much higher prices than the ones they actually paid for. Some will go as far as registering another level of domain name of the trade mark.

There has been cases regarding cyber squatting and if the plaintiff wins the case, then the cyber squatter ends up paying for damages caused. There are options you should use to recover your trade mark.

First, you can solve the dispute using Uniform Domain Name Resolution Policy (UDNRP.) UDNRP is a domain name dispute solving organization created by ICANN. It is quick and cheap using it.

Secondly you can write a cease-and-desist letter to a cyber squatter informing her to withdraw the name or else you will take legal actions against her if otherwise she doesn’t.

Thirdly and lastly you can sue the cyber squatter to let the court decide the fate of that particular trade mark.

There is a difference between domain name theft also know as hijacking and cyber squatting. Domain theft is a situation where a properly registered domain is stolen by another person. It is not necessary that this name is a trade mark as compared to cyber squatting. Through hacking, a person is able to steal your website name.

Three Sure Ways of Protecting Domain Names from Cyber Squatting and Hijacking

1. By Locking it

Locked domain names cannot be transferred to another account or registrar. You should only unlock it when transferring it or at the time of renewal.

2. Through Authorization Code

Transfer Authorization Code is a six to sixteen characters code that is assigned to your domain name as a means of securing it from unauthorized transfers. Let the code be your secret.

3. Through Secure Socket Layer (SSL)

SSL enables your surfers to know that indeed they are on the correct domain name they are searching for. It also protects the information send. This will enable you protect your domain name from cyber squatters and domain name hijackers who will try to impersonate your website name.