Domain Name Hijacking: How a Small Mistake Can Take Over Your Website

You type a website name into your browser and suddenly it loads—no hassle, no thinking. That’s because behind the scenes, a system called the Domain Name System (DNS) turns human-friendly names like “google.com” into computer-readable IP addresses. It’s a quiet, invisible process, but it’s the backbone of how websites work. When that system gets messed with, websites vanish, users get redirected to fake sites, or data leaks. Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting this system—not because it’s flashy, but because it’s simple to exploit and hard to detect. Once they take control of a domain, they can either send users to phishing pages or just cut off access entirely. The damage isn’t always immediate, but it spreads fast, especially in organizations that don’t monitor their DNS closely.

What happens when a domain name is hijacked? The DNS system, which routes traffic from names to servers, is structured in layers. Your device starts by asking your internet service provider or router, and if it doesn’t know the answer, it keeps passing the request up the chain until it hits the right DNS server. That server then returns the correct IP address. The system works well—but each step is a potential weak link. Domain names are registered with global registries that manage databases of available domains. These registries run servers worldwide to respond quickly and keep things running. If those servers are compromised, the whole chain can break. DNSSEC—short for Domain Name System Security Extensions—adds digital signatures to DNS data to verify that the information hasn’t been tampered with. But even with this tool, many sites still don’t use DNSSEC, leaving them open to spoofing and hijacking.

How Domain Name Hijacking Happens

• DNS Spoofing: Attackers inject fake DNS entries into a server’s cache, so when someone types a domain, they’re sent to a fake site instead of the real one. This often happens through old server flaws or tricking admins into revealing credentials.
• Hacking Registrar Accounts: Cybercriminals target the accounts that manage domain registrations. If they get in, they can change DNS settings and take full control of the domain—sometimes without anyone noticing. Strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and regular checks are essential.
• Exploiting Wildcard Domains: Domains like “*.example.com” catch all traffic meant for subdomains. Attackers can abuse this to intercept or redirect traffic, especially if the wildcard isn’t monitored closely.

You don’t have to be a tech expert to protect yourself. Enable DNSSEC on your domain, check DNS records regularly, and make sure your registrar accounts are locked down with strong passwords and two-factor login. Awareness is the first line of defense—because when DNS goes wrong, it’s not just a website that’s down. It’s trust that’s broken.