Online threats to your brand: defence on the front line

01-01-2012

Susan Prosser

There are strategies and tools available for fighting cybersquatting and protecting your domain names. Susan Prosser of DomainTools explains how a preventive approach is the best way to combat the threats.

It’s war out there, whether you like it or not, and the battle is being taken to you as we speak. As cyber threats try to flank your brand on all sides, don’t forget about the front line: domain names.

Choosing the right name for a company or a new product is an expensive and time-consuming process for many new companies. Some older firms have spent years, decades or generations investing in their brand equity. Defending the value of these names and brands in an ever-expanding domain name universe is paramount as more and more business is conducted online, and as more and more people find out about your company, and obtain your products and services through online means.

Online threats to your brand equity, your customers, and your business are many. Three of the most common are phishing emails, unauthorised or fake product or service offerings, and so-called ‘black hat’ search engine optimisation (SEO) spam. What do these three damaging activities have in common? The use of ‘typo’ domain names—web addresses using names that are very close to those of your company and product brands.


DomainTools, cybersquatting, phishing, domain names

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