Prevent abuse of your old domain name

Prevent abuse of your old domain name

29-04-2019 10:42:07
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It has been in the news again lately: data leak on an expired domain name. And it is not the first time. Over two years ago I read about a similar case with an old domain name from the police. I am sure this happens a lot. A domain name that is not being used and is therefore terminated. The released domain name is then registered by someone else and a mail server is configured in such a way that all emails to the domain can be read. Automated systems that are not properly adjusted and are not altered by consumers in their address list often send emails to old email addresses for a long time. 

Fake webshops

There are more situations where terminated domain names can lead to abuse. A released domain name can be registered by a malicious party. This party opens a web shop for designer shoes or designer clothes on that domain name with very high discounts or very low prices. The old domain is still attracting visitors and the web shop is still being promoted on social media. Orders that are placed on the web shop will obviously not get delivered. The web shop clients have lost their money and the malicious party has ‘earned’ thousands of euro’s with an investment that cost them only a few bucks. Very inconvenient when someone abuses your released domain name in such a way.

The remedy against data leaks and abuse of domain names that are no longer in use is very easy: do not release the domain name. This way, you can prevent the abuse of your old domain name for a very limited fee.



By: Wido Potters