FRESH DEALS: KVM VPS PROMOS NOW AVAILABLE IN SELECT LOCATIONS!

DediRock is Waging War On High Prices Sign Up Now

How to Protect Your Domain from Hijacking and Expiry

How to Protect Your Domain from Hijacking and Expiry

Meta Description: Don’t risk losing your domain to hijackers or expiration. Learn how to protect your domain with locking, auto-renewal, WHOIS privacy, and more in this must-read guide for website owners.


Introduction: Your Domain Name = Your Digital Identity

Your domain name is your online brand, reputation, and gateway to business — and losing it could be catastrophic.

Unfortunately, domain hijacking and unintentional expirations still happen every day. Whether it’s a malicious attack or an honest oversight, the result is the same: downtime, lost traffic, revenue loss, and brand damage.

The good news? Protecting your domain is easy — once you know how.

This guide walks you through the most important domain protection tactics, including:

  • Domain locking

  • Auto-renewal

  • WHOIS privacy

  • Registrar-level security

  • Expiration monitoring

Let’s lock it down.


️‍♂️ What Is Domain Hijacking?

Domain hijacking is the unauthorized takeover of your domain name — typically through:

  • Phishing your domain registrar login

  • Exploiting outdated registrar accounts

  • Unauthorized transfer requests

Once a hijacker gains access, they can:

  • Redirect traffic to phishing or scam sites

  • Hold the domain for ransom

  • Lock you out completely


⏳ What Happens When Your Domain Expires?

Domains typically expire 1–10 years after purchase (depending on your plan). If not renewed in time:

  1. Your site goes down.

  2. Emails stop working.

  3. After a grace period, your domain is released or auctioned.

Real-World Horror Story: A Fortune 500 company once forgot to renew a key domain — it was snatched and redirected to adult content. Their brand took years to recover.


How to Protect Your Domain Like a Pro

âś… 1. Enable Domain Locking

What It Does:
Prevents unauthorized transfers of your domain to another registrar without your approval.

Also Called:

  • Registrar lock

  • Transfer lock

  • ClientTransferProhibited status

How to Enable It:

Most registrars include a toggle in your domain settings. Look for:

				
					  Domain Lock: ON

				
			

Why It’s Critical:

  • Stops hijackers from initiating domain transfers

  • Adds a layer of protection if your login is compromised


âś… 2. Turn On Auto-Renewal

What It Does:
Automatically renews your domain before it expires.

Why It Matters:

  • Prevents accidental expiry

  • Maintains DNS continuity

  • No manual renewal headaches

Pro Tip: Keep your billing info updated to avoid failed payments!


âś… 3. Use WHOIS Privacy (Domain Privacy Protection)

What It Does:
Hides your personal details (name, phone, email, address) from public WHOIS records.

Why It Matters:

  • Protects against identity theft

  • Reduces spam and phishing attempts

  • Makes it harder for hijackers to target you

Common Names:

  • WHOIS Guard (Namecheap)

  • Domain Privacy (GoDaddy)


âś… 4. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

What It Does:
Requires a second login step (typically a code from your phone) to access your registrar account.

Why It’s Powerful:

  • Blocks most phishing attacks

  • Stops login attempts from new devices

  • Essential for security in 2025 and beyond

Must-Use With:

  • Your domain registrar account

  • Your email address (often used for recovery)


âś… 5. Use a Reputable Domain Registrar

Not all registrars are created equal. Choose one that:

  • Offers built-in security features (2FA, auto-renew, WHOIS privacy)

  • Has responsive customer support

  • Notifies you well before expiration

Trusted Registrars (as of 2025):

  • Namecheap

  • Google Domains

  • Cloudflare Registrar

  • Hover

  • Porkbun


âś… 6. Set Expiry Alerts & Backups

How To Stay Alert:

  • Set calendar reminders for your renewal date

  • Use multiple alert channels (email + SMS)

  • Consider a monitoring tool like Uptime Robot or Domain Monitor

Bonus Tip:
Keep a backup copy of your DNS records in case anything goes wrong during renewal or transfer.


Bonus: What to Do If Your Domain Is Hijacked or Expires

If Hijacked:

  1. Contact your registrar immediately

  2. File a complaint with ICANN or Registry Operator

  3. Lock down email and registrar accounts

  4. Notify your customers or audience (if impacted)

If Expired:

  1. Check the domain’s status via WHOIS

  2. Contact your registrar to recover it (you may have a grace or redemption period)

  3. Be prepared to pay extra to reclaim it

  4. Immediately enable auto-renew and locking after recovery


âś… Domain Protection Checklist

Task Status
Domain locked âś…
Auto-renewal enabled âś…
WHOIS privacy active âś…
2FA turned on âś…
Registrar is trusted âś…
Expiry alerts set âś…
DNS backup saved âś…

Real-World Example: How One Freelancer Saved Their Business

Emma, a freelance copywriter, forgot to renew her .co domain. It was bought by a competitor within 48 hours and redirected to a blank page.

What She Did Right After:

  • Reclaimed her domain during the registrar’s grace period (with a penalty)

  • Enabled auto-renewal

  • Moved to a registrar with free WHOIS protection

Lesson: Even small sites and solopreneurs are targets. Take domain protection seriously.

Share this Post

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Search

Categories

Tags

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x