Domain Protection

What is Domain Protection?

Domain protection involves securing a website’s domain name from various online threats, ensuring its integrity and availability. It typically includes:

Domain Registration Security: Keeping your domain registration details up to date, using strong, unique passwords, and enabling MFA to prevent unauthorized access.
Privacy Protection: Using WHOIS privacy services to hide your personal information and contact details from the public WHOIS database. Replacing your personal details with generic information helps prevent domain hijacking and spam.
Monitoring and Alerts: Regularly checking for unauthorized changes or registrations of similar (typosquatting) domains that could be used for phishing or fraud.
DNS Security: Implementing DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions) to protect against DNS hijacking and other attacks.
Renewal Management: Ensuring your domain name is renewed on time to avoid losing domain ownership.

What are Domain-Based Cyberattacks?

Domain-based cyberattacks are malicious activities that exploit domain names and DNS (Domain Name Systems) to compromise security and trick users. Common types include:

Phishing: Creating fake websites with domain names similar to legitimate ones to trick users into entering sensitive information like login credentials or financial details.
Typosquatting: Registering misspelled versions of popular domain names to capture traffic intended for the legitimate site, often for malicious purposes such as phishing or spreading malware.
Domain Hijacking: Gaining unauthorized access to a domain registrar account to take control of the domain, redirect traffic, or demand ransom from the legitimate owner.
DNS Spoofing: Manipulating DNS records to redirect users from legitimate websites to malicious ones, often to steal information or distribute malware.
DNS Amplification Attacks: Using DNS servers to launch large-scale denial-of-service (DoS) attacks by overwhelming a target with a flood of traffic, causing disruption or downtime.
Subdomain Takeover: Exploiting misconfigured DNS settings to take control of subdomains, which can then be used to host malicious content or impersonate the legitimate site.
Certificate Fraud: Obtaining SSL/TLS certificates to create fake websites that appear secure, tricking users into trusting and interacting with these malicious sites.

Examples of Domain-Based Attacks

MyEtherWallet DNS Hijacking Attack: In April 2018, MyEtherWallet users were targeted in a DNS hijacking attack. The attackers redirected users to a phishing website designed to steal cryptocurrency. By altering DNS records, they committed identity theft by capturing login credentials and private keys, resulting in the theft of approximately $150,000 worth of Ethereum.
British Airways Data Breach: In September 2018, British Airways experienced a significant data breach due to a domain-based attack. Attackers injected malicious scripts into the British Airways website and mobile app, capturing the personal and payment information of about 380,000 customers. The attack was executed through a technique known as a supply chain attack, where third-party components of the website were compromised to enable data theft.
Dyn DNS Attack: In October 2016, a massive DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack targeted Dyn, a major DNS provider. This attack involved the use of the Mirai botnet, which leveraged thousands of compromised IoT devices to flood Dyn’s servers with traffic, causing widespread disruption. As a result, numerous high-profile websites, including Twitter, Reddit, and Spotify, experienced significant downtime and accessibility issues.

How To Prevent Domain-Based Attacks

The following strategies can be used to significantly reduce the risk of domain-based attacks:

Domain Monitoring: Regularly monitor for domain names similar to your own that might be used for phishing.
Domain Registration: Proactively register common misspellings and variations of your domain name to prevent typosquatting.
Strong Authentication: Use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for domain name registrar accounts.
Domain Locking: Enable domain locking features that prevent unauthorized transfers and changes to your domain.
DNSSEC: Implement Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) to authenticate DNS responses and prevent spoofing.
DNS Hygiene: Regularly audit DNS records to ensure there are no orphaned or misconfigured entries.
Access Controls: Restrict access to DNS management to authorized personnel only.
Rate Limiting: Implement rate limiting to control the amount of traffic DNS servers can handle.
Anycast Networks: Use anycast networks to distribute traffic load and mitigate the impact of DDoS attacks.
DNS Server Configuration: Configure DNS servers to limit responses to known clients and prevent open resolver abuse.
Certificate Transparency Logs: Monitor certificate transparency logs to detect fraudulent SSL/TLS certificates issued for your domains.
HSTS and HPKP: Implement HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) and Public Key Pinning (HPKP) to ensure browsers only accept valid certificates.