A recent study by Interisle Consulting revealed a worrying increase of almost 40% in phishing attacks by August 2024, with new domains (TLDs) taking center stage.
Domains like .shop, .top and .xyz, which only cover 11% of the new domain market, are responsible for 37% of reported domains related to cybercrime from September 2023 to August 2024.
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The increased popularity of these gTLD domains among fraudsters is due to their low prices and limited registration requirements. According to technical analysis, the TLDs with the highest rate of cybercrime had registration costs under $1, while nearly two dozen domains were offered for under $2. In comparison, the most affordable .com domain cost $5.91. While traditional domains such as .com and .net still dominate, new gTLDs are showing an alarming increase in their use for phishing attacks.
ICANN, the organization that regulates the domain name industry, plans to introduce more gTLDs in 2026, which has raised serious concerns about a further increase in cybercrime. John Levine, a spokesman for CAUCE, warns that without stricter registration policies, the new domains will become an even greater tool for criminals.
Read more: SubdoMailing: New spam campaign uses hacked company domains
To address this growing threat, experts recommend the use of digital identification programs, automated systems for detecting suspicious registrations, as well as initiatives such as the “Trusted Reporter” program to immediately suspend phishing domains. With the imminent introduction of new gTLDs, discussions around internet security and governance are expected to intensify, as the need to balance innovation and user protection becomes more urgent than ever.
See also: WordPress sites use visitor browsers to hack other sites
Source: cybersecuritynews
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