Tips To Improve Domain Name Security

Your domain name is your online identity and a critical business asset for establishing your brand’s presence online. Protecting your registered domain name and domain hosting should be a top priority to prevent cyber attacks and costly disruptions to your business.

 In this article, we’ll provide tips on how to secure a domain name against cyber threats and keep your website accessible.

Tips to Secure Domains

Here are some tips to secure a domain name:

● Choose a Reputable Registrar

Register your domain with a reputable registrar. Look for registrars that offer two-factor authentication, registry locks, domain privacy services, and 24/7 customer support. Reputable registrars continually invest in cybersecurity to protect customers. Avoid unknown registrars that may need robust security practices.

● Enable Domain Lock/Registrar Lock

Domain locking prevents unauthorized transfers or changes to your domain. It adds a layer of protection against cybercriminals hijacking your domain. Immediately enable domain lock with your registrar after purchasing your domain.

● Use Strong Passwords

Weak passwords allow hackers to grab domains from registrar accounts. Create a strong password that’s at least 12 characters and includes uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols. Generate and save unique passwords with a password manager. Change passwords periodically.

● Turn On Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication requires two forms of identity verification to access your registrar account. After entering your password, you’ll receive a unique code via text, email or an authentication app. Turn on two-factor authentication for enhanced security.

● Set Up Auto-Renewal

Auto-renewal ensures your domain registration renews automatically before it expires. This prevents any lapses that could allow someone else to register your domain. Check that auto-renewal is enabled to keep your domain registered indefinitely.

● Use Proxy/Privacy Registration

Proxy registration hides your personal contact information from public WHOIS domain ownership records. This protects you from spam and reduces the risk of your identity being used for fraudulent domain transfers. Privacy protection limits social engineering and phishing attempts by hackers.

● Monitor Your Domain Regularly

Routinely check your domain’s registration records at your registrar. Watch for any unauthorized changes to registration information like name servers or contact email addresses. Monitoring helps detect potential security issues early before they become bigger problems.

● Purchase Related Domain Names

Secure a domain name that is similar to your official domain to prevent copycat sites or phishing scams. For example, buy .net and .org versions of your .com domain. This guards against typosquatting sites impersonating your brand.

● Use Domain SSL Certificates

Add SSL (HTTPS) security certificates to your domains. SSL encrypts data between your website and visitors to prevent snooping of sensitive information. It also activates the padlock and “https” in the URL bar that reassures visitors your site is secure.

● Limit Access to Your Registrar Account

Restrict administrative access to your domain registrar account. Only trusted employees who manage your domain should have the login credentials. Avoid sharing the admin password openly within your company. Remove access immediately for employees who leave.

● Create a Domain Account Recovery Plan

Have a plan to recover administrative access if you lose your registrar password or account access. Store account recovery information like secondary contacts and email addresses in a safe place offline. This will make it easier to regain control of your cybersecurity domain nameif you ever get locked out.

Conclusion

Your domain name security should be a top priority to protect your online presence. Take preventative measures like enabling domain locks, using strong registrar passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and monitoring your domains regularly.

With good security habits, you can keep your domain locked down tight against cyber threats.