What Recent Breaches Teach Us About Protecting Your Digital Identity?
In today’s interconnected world, your domain is more than a digital address — it’s a vital piece of your brand, your trust, and your cybersecurity posture. Yet, Domain Security incidents are increasingly common, sophisticated, and damaging. Understanding and addressing these domain security incidents can help safeguard your digital identity amidst the growing threat.
Below, we explore some of the most recent and high-impact domain-related security incidents, the techniques attackers used, and what businesses can do to prevent similar breaches involving domain security.
1.
Crypto.com Subdomain Hijack (2023)
Incident:
A threat actor gained control over a misconfigured subdomain under the main Crypto.com domain. The attacker redirected users to a phishing site mimicking the real interface, stealing login credentials and bypassing 2FA, highlighting the risk of domain security incidents.
Root Cause:
- DNS misconfiguration
- Poor subdomain hygiene
- No continuous monitoring
Lesson:
Regularly audit all subdomains and decommission unused ones. Implement Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC), SPF, and DKIM across all mail flows.
2.
Vietnamese Government Sites Hijacked (2023)
Incident:
Multiple .gov.vn websites were hijacked due to lax registrar account protections and weak passwords. Hackers redirected visitors to scam pages or dropped malware, an event demonstrating the danger of domain security incidents.
Root Cause:
- Poor registrar account security
- No 2FA on domain registrar portal
- No DNSSEC protection
Lesson:
Use strong, unique credentials for registrar accounts. Enable multi-factor authentication and ensure registrars support DNSSEC to authenticate DNS records.
3.
Google Domains Expired by Mistake (2022)
Incident:
An internal mistake led to temporary expiration of a domain once owned by Google (example: blogspot.in). The domain briefly available for purchase before Google reclaimed it, showcasing the vulnerabilities possible in domain security incidents.
Root Cause:
- Lack of auto-renewal or oversight
- Domain lifecycle management failure
Lesson:
Enable auto-renewal for all business-critical domains and maintain a centralized domain inventory monitored regularly by IT/security teams.
4.
Ethereum Foundation Lookalike Domains
Incident:
Cybercriminals registered domains resembling the Ethereum Foundation’s site (e.g., ethereuem[.]org). They launched fake token sales and phishing attacks during cryptocurrency surges, fueling domain security incidents.
Root Cause:
- Typosquatting
- No proactive brand monitoring
Lesson:
Register common misspellings and similar domains. Use threat intelligence platforms or solutions like Domain Radars to track and mitigate domain spoofing attempts.
5.
Saudi Business Email Compromise via Lookalike Domain (2024)
Incident:
A mid-sized logistics firm in Riyadh was tricked into wiring SAR 300,000 after receiving invoices from a domain resembling a known supplier (abc-supply.com vs. abcsupply-sa.com). The attacker had registered the similar domain months prior, leading to serious domain security incidents.
Root Cause:
- Lack of domain awareness
- No DMARC enforcement
- Email allowlisting
Lesson:
Educate employees on domain verification. Implement strict DMARC with “reject” policy, and validate supplier domains through registry tools and partnerships.
Key Takeaways for Your Business
- Monitor your domain and subdomains regularly to protect your business from security incidents.
- Implement DNSSEC, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC with enforcement.
- Secure registrar accounts with strong authentication and role-based access.
- Actively monitor lookalike domains and take legal action when necessary to prevent domain security incidents.
- Educate employees and clients on how to identify and report suspicious domains or communications to avoid potential domain security incidents.
Final Thoughts
Domain security isn’t just an IT responsibility — it’s a business-critical priority. As attackers become more cunning, businesses must move from reactive protection to proactive domain defense strategies. Tools like Domain Radars can help organizations detect, analyze, and mitigate domain-related threats before they escalate into full-blown domain security incidents.
Book a meeting with our Cyber Space Experts team and get an understanding of your needs and price that would be far less from loss security and its price impacts.
