What is cybersquatting and when does it occur?
Cybersquatting is a practice that involves the appropriation of domain names . A criminal registers a domain with a name identical or similar to that of a company or person without the authorization of the legitimate owner of a trademark and in bad faith with the following intentions:
Trafficking and selling the domain to the trademark owner for a higher value.
Prevent the owner of a trademark from using it with that domain name.
Hinder the commercial activity of the trademark owner.
Confuse users looking for the original website.
Types of cybersquatting
There are different techniques for cybersquatting, but these are some of the main ones:
Typosquatting . This is based on the typing errors that users make when writing a URL address. For example, Gogle instead of Google. Although it can also be the use of .net instead of .com, confusion in certain letters or similar symbols or the use of logos, designs and colours similar to those of the original brand.
The cybercriminal redirects the user to a page other than the one they actually want to visit.
Name theft. A criminal registers a domain name that can be associated with someone famous with the intention of intercepting traffic associated with that person.
Identity theft. In this case, the cybercriminal acquires a domain that has not been renewed by the brand owner in order to assume their identity and deceive visitors or to blackmail the owner.
Reverse domain hijacking. This is when the legitimate owner of a trademark attempts to obtain a registered domain belonging to another person or company by applying pressure or intimidation until they gain ownership.
Cybersquatting from different perspectives
Cybersquatting must be handled with great care , as it can bulk sms poland have disastrous consequences for both brand and e-commerce owners , as well as for their users and customers.
How does cybersquatting affect e-commerce?
Cybersquatting can negatively affect a brand's image as it can create bad publicity and cause customers to switch to competitors or even lose potential customers . On the other hand, it is also worth keeping in mind the expiration of domains to prevent cybercriminals from taking over one and blackmailing the owner into paying the ransom.
What are the implications for the user?
In the case of customers, first of all, they may lose trust or question the reputation of a brand. However, the most dangerous thing is that the cybercriminal, by posing as an original company, can obtain information and data from both users and suppliers . A customer may even make a payment on these fake pages thinking that they are doing so on a brand's real website.
How can domain spoofing be dealt with legally?
Registering or purchasing a domain name similar to an existing brand only qualifies as cybersquatting if it is done in bad faith. This means that the cybercriminal aims to monetize this malicious act.
