T 2.100 Errors on applying for and managing Internet domain names

Internet domain names (usually simply referred to as "domains") cannot be chosen arbitrarily, but must be registered with registration authorities. A registration authority can issue names for one or more so-called "top-level domains" (for example DeNIC GmbH manages the top-level domain .de). Domains are not "bought"; they are only registered for a specific period. Once this period has expired, the registration must be extended by paying a fee. When domain names are registered and their registration is extended, errors are often made which may result in significant costs and a loss of prestige for the institution. Some of these errors are briefly explained below:

Disregard of "related" domain names

Often only the "right" domain name, i.e. the name which the organisation actually wants to use (for instance companyname.de), is registered. In doing so, the organisation overlooks the fact that Internet users who do not know the company's "right" domain name will simply try out "related" domain names (for example companyname.com or companyname.info)

"Related" domain names are often registered by disreputable providers who might for example then run websites with competitive offers under the name. Although such services are often prohibited and shut down by court order, significant damage can be inflicted on the organisation's reputation during court proceedings which are often long and drawn out.

For example, in the year 2000 a German university had to take court action against a pornography provider who was using the .com domain name of the university. In 2004, a teenager managed to have the German domain for an on-line auction house transferred to him for a short time by exploiting a "procedural error" in the registration process. Furthermore, a fraudster may use a "related" domain name to create a fake website that is very similar to the original one. Such so-called phishing attacks should entice visitors to enter access data for the real website or credit card information for payment transactions. The fraudsters then use these data to obtain access to the real web server or to make purchases with the stolen credit card information.

Trademark infringements

Those registering domain names often fail to check whether the chosen name infringes registered trademarks belonging to other organisations, Such trademark infringements are usually noticed very swiftly. Trademark owners or lawyers / organisations specialising in cease-and-desist letters conduct regular searches for new domains which may infringe trademark rights and send out cease-and-desist letters which usually involve costs. Furthermore, the owner of a trademark can take the matter to court and demand the return or deletion of the domain. This can be costly and can also entail significant damage to an organisation's reputation.

Errors made when extending domain names and changing registration authority

Domain names must be regularly "extended" by paying an administration fee to the relevant registration authority. If the fee is not paid in time, the right to the domain name will be lost and other organisations can register the domain name. If the domain name in question is not company-specific, in the worst case it may be impossible to get back the lost domain. This "orphaned" domain could then be registered by a competitor or an organisation which then uses the domain to publish offensive or even illegal content.

Less trustworthy registration authorities have been known to ring up customers of their competitors and claim that the registration has expired and must be renewed by making a further payment to them. When customers pay this fee, they also agree to a change of their registration authority.

An intended change of the registration authority, e.g. due to more favourable terms and conditions, may also result in problems. If mistakes are made during the change, the registration with the previous registration authority will be discontinued, but the new registration with the future registration authority will not performed or only performed with delays; during such period the domain can be registered by anybody in principle. Often, it can take a lot of time and expense to re-register the domain name, or re-registration is not possible at all.