Domain Hijacking Recovery

Recovering Control of Hijacked Domains

Domain hijacking occurs when unauthorized parties gain control of domain names through registrar account compromise, social engineering, expired domain sniping, or exploitation of transfer processes. Losing control of a critical domain disrupts business operations, damages brand reputation, and may expose customers to fraud.

Webasto's domain recovery service combines technical expertise, legal knowledge, and established registrar relationships to help organizations reclaim stolen domains. Our team has successfully resolved hundreds of hijacking cases ranging from simple unauthorized transfers to complex cases involving multiple jurisdictions and criminal actors.

Common Hijacking Scenarios

Registrar Account Compromise

Attackers gain access to your registrar account through credential theft, social engineering, or exploiting weak authentication. Once inside, they modify contact information, disable security features, and initiate unauthorized transfers to registrars under their control.

Social Engineering

Attackers impersonate domain owners to registrar support staff, convincing them to reset credentials or authorize transfers. We've seen sophisticated attacks using forged documentation and elaborate pretexts.

Expired Domain Theft

Domains that inadvertently expire may be sniped by automated systems before the original owner can renew. While technically legal, recovery is possible through trademark claims and registrar policies.

Transfer Hijacking

Exploitation of domain transfer procedures enables unauthorized moves between registrars. Attackers may intercept authorization emails or exploit registrar vulnerabilities.

Recovery Process

Immediate Response

When hijacking is discovered, time-sensitive actions preserve evidence and prevent further damage. We document current DNS records, WHOIS information, and hosting configuration before attackers can erase traces.

Evidence Collection

Building a strong case requires comprehensive documentation including historical ownership records, trademark registrations, unauthorized change logs, and communication with registrars.

Registrar Coordination

We engage registrar abuse teams using established relationships and documented procedures. Many hijacking cases can be resolved at the registrar level without legal escalation.

ICANN Complaint Process

For cases involving uncooperative registrars or complex transfers, ICANN's Transfer Dispute Resolution Policy and Registrar Transfer Dispute Resolution Policy provide formal recovery mechanisms.

Legal Escalation

When administrative processes are insufficient, legal action through UDRP proceedings, court orders, or civil litigation may be necessary. Our legal team coordinates with specialized IP attorneys.

Prevention Measures

After recovering domains, we implement controls to prevent future incidents:

• Registrar lock enabling to prevent unauthorized transfers
• Multi-factor authentication on registrar accounts
• WHOIS privacy protection and contact verification
• Domain monitoring for unauthorized changes
• Renewal automation to prevent expiration

Related Services

• Domain Monitoring detects unauthorized changes to prevent hijacking
• DNS Security protects DNS infrastructure from compromise
• Emergency Response for urgent hijacking incidents