Typosquatting and Look-Alike Domains Explained
By [FILL IN], [FILL IN] · Last updated
Attackers register domains that look like real brands to steal logins. Learn how typosquatting works and how DNS filtering blocks it.
One letter away
Typosquatting relies on mistakes: paypa1.com, rnicrosoft.com or a brand name on an unusual top-level domain. Homograph attacks use characters from other alphabets that look identical.
What happens on these sites
Fake login pages harvest passwords, fake stores take payments and some sites deliver malware disguised as downloads.
Defenses
Combine several layers for the best results.
- Block newly registered domains
- Block abused top-level domains
- Use a password manager, which will not autofill on fake domains
- Enable two-factor authentication