| ign="center"> | | | | is called domain slamming, after a similar and now |
| Domain hijacking is the process by which internet | | | | illegal practice formerly engaged in by certain phone |
| domains are basically stolen. Many people confuse | | | | companies, which switched user's long distance phone |
| domain hijacking with the reuse of an expired domain. | | | | companies without their knowledge or consent. |
| One is a legal process and one is not. Domain | | | | Domains can also be hijacked when registrars |
| hijacking is theft, reuse of an expired domain is | | | | don't follow all the procedures. The gaining registrar |
| opportunity usage. Domain theft is an aggressive | | | | (to whom the domain is transferred) is supposed to |
| form of domain hijacking that usually involves an illegal | | | | get the approval of the domain name registrant or |
| act. In most cases, identity theft is used to trick the | | | | administrative contact before going forward with the |
| domain registrar into allowing the hijacker to change | | | | transfer. Likewise, the losing registrar (from whom |
| the registration information to steal control of an | | | | the domain is being transferred) is supposed to notify |
| unexpired domain from the legitimate owner. | | | | the registrant of the transfer during the five-day |
| In domain hijacking or domain slamming for some | | | | grace period before the transfer is completed. Either |
| reason, you can't get into your own domain, you're | | | | way, that's YOU if it's your business. You can deny |
| not receiving email from that domain, and you | | | | approval of the transfer, but only if you know about |
| discover that it's now registered to someone else. | | | | it. |
| Needless to say, to a small online business this can be | | | | Protection from Domain Hijacking |
| devastating. | | | | All it takes is one easy step to protect yourself from |
| It could happen for a number of reasons. Maybe | | | | potentially losing your domain name in this manner. |
| you have a particularly valuable domain name that | | | | You can place a 'lock' on your domain name. Your |
| someone wants to sell. In fact, .com domains are | | | | domain name registrar should allow you to lock your |
| supposedly more likely to be stolen than any others. | | | | domain name either by phone, fax, email, or online |
| It's also possible, though unlikely, that whoever stole | | | | domain manager using your login and password. Your |
| your domain did it as an attack on your business or | | | | domain registrar will let you know which method they |
| you personally. | | | | require. Once a lock is placed on your domain name, a |
| This is also done by sending a forged fax to the | | | | transfer of registrar cannot be completed unless the |
| domain registrar, impersonating you (the registrant)? | | | | lock is removed by you. |
| Other attacks are more subtle: the email that tells | | | | For more details on domain hijacking see How a |
| you your domain name is about to expire, and that | | | | domain hijacked. |
| you need to renew. Are you sure that email is | | | | Visit our and web sites for more info. |
| actually from your registrar? That last form of attack | | | | |