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Domain Name Not Renewed? It Can Be Accompanied by These Cyber Threats

• New Owner to the Domain Name.  Deleted .ee domains will go to the Domain Auction, where all interested parties worldwide can bid and potentially acquire desired domains. If no successful bids are made, the domain becomes available for registration on a "first-come, first-served" basis. Therefore, if you fail to renew your domain registration in time, it may eventually be acquired by a new owner.

• Loss of Website-Related Data. In addition to losing the domain, the traffic, data, and search engine ranking associated with the website will also transfer to the new owner. Getting a website with a new domain name to the top of search engine results is much more challenging. Moreover, consider that the new owner of your previous domain could be a business competitor who could redirect the domain to a page of their choice.

• Losing the Email Address Associated with the Domain. The new domain owner cannot access the history of the email address with the same name as the domain. However, new emails may still be sent to them, possibly from your acquaintances or business partners out of habit. These emails might even contain confidential or business-critical information.

• Email Address Spoofing and Fraud. A malicious party could use an email address with the same name as your former domain to send emails that appear to come from you or your company. These emails could be used to extract sensitive information or manipulate recipients into making unauthorized payments, believing the request is legitimate.

• Data Phishing. A new domain owner could create a page that mimics the content and appearance of your previous website. This could be used to target your company's customers, collecting their data, including passwords and credit card information.

• Spreading Malware. A deleted domain acquired by a malicious owner could be used to host and distribute malware. Users visiting the website out of habit could inadvertently download harmful software.

• Interruptions in Other Services. The domain is often linked to several other important digital services, including business applications. Failure to renew your domain registration could cause interruptions and disrupt your company's operations.

• Damage to Reputation and Brand. All the above risks can lead to significant reputation damage and loss of trust, which is difficult to restore. This, in turn, can negatively impact future cooperation opportunities and business success.

What dangers do the .ee domain owners fear the most? Our survey results show that domain name hijacking, email address spoofing, and company reputation damage are seen as the main cyber threats. Additionally, data phishing and the misuse of page-related SEO for malicious purposes are also concerns. Although awareness of potential cyber threats is higher compared to international customers, many still do not recognize any threats associated with a domain name.