Reverse domain name hijacking

Reverse domain name hijacking definition

Reverse domain name hijacking is when a trademark owner wrongfully accuses someone of trademark infringement to seize control of their website address. This typically involves the trademark owner filing legal actions against the website address holder, despite their legitimate claim and use.

See also: domain hijacking, reverse DNS, cybersquatting

History of reverse domain name hijacking

Reverse domain name hijacking became prevalent in the 1990s with the growth of the internet and the surge in website address registrations. Disputes often arose when these addresses were similar to trademarked names. It led to scenarios where trademark owners, usually larger entities, aggressively pursued legal claims against website address holders for alleged trademark infringement.

Acknowledged in 1999 by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) through its Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), this policy was established to resolve such conflicts efficiently. Despite this, reverse domain name hijacking remains a hot-button issue.