Shielding Brands: An In-Depth Analysis of Defensive Domain Registration Practices Against Cyber-Squatting

In the digital era, establishing a robust online presence is paramount for brand recognition and trust. However, malicious actors may abuse trust in brand domains with cyber-squatting-registering domain names resembling legitimate ones to deceive users. To counter this threat, brand owners defensively register domain names similar to the original ones, but this protection technique results in increased complexity and financial burden. This paper investigates defensive registration strategies by analyzing 370 prominent brands targeted by cyber-squatters. We provide insight into the activities of leading defensive registrars and highlight the insufficient usage of defensive mechanisms provided by ICANN. Our findings reveal the need for stronger defensive strategies and result in recommendations to enhance brand protection against cyber-squatting,