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Secure Your Business Identity: The Importance of Early .ee Domain Registration

"The commercial value of the Estonian top-level .ee domain has been steadily increasing for businesses. However, this has also led to situations where malicious actors register .ee domains of new companies listed in the Business Register," said Heiki Sibul, a board member of Eesti Interneti SA. "With the 'first come, first served' principle governing domain registration, we see more cases where a new company may lose its own online address this way."

According to Sibul, reclaiming a previously registered domain can be challenging and costly. "In certain cases, companies can approach the .ee Domain Dispute Committee for malicious domain registrations. Alternatively, if both parties are willing, an agreement can be made to transfer the domain. However, these solutions can cost thousands of euros—compared to the relatively small expense of registering the .ee domain on time," Sibul said. "If a domain remains unregistered, it could even be claimed by a competitor."

When selecting a name for a new business, Sibul advises immediately checking the availability of the desired domain. "The Estonian top-level domain is increasingly commercially valuable and preferred in the local market. It also provides an edge in Google searches. Later disputes take time and can needlessly hinder business,” he added.

Eesti Interneti SA’s month-long campaign, launched on November 11, highlights online threats and offers advice on how to avoid them.

Recommendations for Reducing Domain Threats:

• Register your .ee domain immediately when establishing a company.

• Protect your online identity. A domain and website with your company’s name are among the most secure and effective ways to present your business. Allowing your domain registration to lapse can result in the loss of a critical part of your digital identity.

• Secure your domain for the long term. The Estonian top-level domain can be registered for durations between 3 months and 10 years. Renew on time, as expired domains may end up in the .ee domain auction.

• Maintain communication access. Email addresses are often linked to a company’s domain. If you lose your domain, you risk losing access to past emails and missing out on future correspondence.

For more information, visit the campaign page (in Estonian): https://domeeniohud.ee/.