Domain hijacking vs. DNS poisoning: Key differences and prevention tips

What is domain hijacking?

Domain hijacking is an attack in which hackers gain unauthorized control of a domain name. This attack allows them to redirect website traffic, steal data, or damage the brand's reputation. It's like stealing a company's storefront sign and replacing it with their own — except, in this case, the "store" is a website, and the consequences can be devastating.

Attackers often gain control of a domain by compromising registrar accounts through phishing or credential stuffing. Once they have access to the domain, they can update registration details, transfer it, or take it offline entirely. A hijacked domain can be sold or used for phishing scams, or redirect visitors to malicious sites. Recovering a stolen domain can be a long, costly battle — so prevention is key.

Note: Don’t confuse domain hijacking with reverse domain name hijacking, where a trademark owner falsely claims trademark infringement to take over someone else’s domain.

How does domain hijacking work?

When you register a domain, it's managed through a domain registrar, the service that controls ownership, DNS settings, and renewals. If someone hijacks your domain, they take  ownership of it, getting the power to redirect traffic, lock you out, or use the domain for scams.

How domain hijacking works:

1. 1.Attackers break into the domain registrar's account using phishing, credential theft, brute-force attacks, or weak authentication.
2. 2.They update registration details, modify DNS settings, or transfer the domain to another registrar to make recovery harder.
3. 3.The hijacker may take down the original website, redirect visitors to a phishing site, sell the domain, or demand a ransom to return it.

Signs of a domain hijacking attack

Domain hijacking isn't always obvious at first, but warning signs of this attack include:

• You can't log in to your domain registrar account. Your credentials no longer work, and password reset attempts fail.
• Your DNS settings have changed without your knowledge. Your domain now points to an unfamiliar server.
• Users report strange redirects. Visitors trying to reach your site end up on a different page — often a phishing or scam site.
• Your business email accounts stop working. If your domain is hijacked, email accounts tied to it may go offline, disrupting communication.

If any of these happen, check your registrar account immediately and start the recovery process before more damage occurs.

Consequences of domain hijacking

Losing control of your domain can seriously damage your business, reputation, and bottom line. Domain hijacking risks include:

• Loss of website control. If a hacker hijacks your domain, they can redirect internet traffic, modify content, or take your site offline completely. These effects are especially damaging for e-commerce platforms, financial services, and any business that relies on its website for daily operations.
• Financial loss. Hijackers may demand a ransom to return your domain. Meanwhile, downtime kills sales, ad revenue, and customer trust. Recovery might involve legal disputes, arbitration, and registrar battles, all of which require time and money.
• Data breaches. If your domain-based email accounts are compromised, attackers can intercept sensitive communications, reset account credentials for other platforms, and gain access to private company data. 
• Reputational damage. A stolen domain can be used for phishing, malware, or scams, making your brand look untrustworthy. Once customers associate your name with security risks, winning back trust is an uphill battle.

What is DNS poisoning?

DNS poisoning (also called DNS cache poisoning or DNS spoofing) is an attack that corrupts cached DNS records to send users to fake websites instead of those they intended to visit. Attackers use this tactic to steal login credentials and credit card details or spread malware.

This attack works by manipulating the DNS cache — the temporary records a DNS server uses to speed up lookups. When poisoned, the DNS server starts to resolve a legitimate domain name (e.g., yourbank.com) to a malicious IP address, tricking users into interacting with a fraudulent site.

Unlike domain hijacking — where the attacker takes over the DNS settings and the whole domain — DNS poisoning corrupts the system that translates domain names into IP addresses, leading users to malicious sites without changing domain ownership.

How does DNS poisoning work?

You enter a familiar URL into your browser, expecting to land on the right website. You log in, maybe even enter your credit card details — without a second thought. But what if the site you're on isn't real? What if your browser took you somewhere completely different without you noticing? That's exactly what happens in a DNS poisoning attack.

How DNS poisoning works:

1. 1.The attacker injects a fake DNS response into a resolver's cache, replacing a legitimate domain's IP address with a malicious one.
2. 2.When users try to visit a legitimate site, the poisoned DNS cache points them to the wrong IP.
3. 3.The fake site looks just like the real one, fooling users into entering logins, payment details, or other sensitive information.
4. 4.The attacker collects the stolen data and uses it for identity theft, fraud, or further attacks.

Because the URL in the browser remains unchanged, victims have no reason to suspect anything is wrong — until they find they can’t log in to their accounts or their bank balance is empty.

DNS poisoning vs. DNS spoofing

People often use "DNS poisoning" and "DNS spoofing" interchangeably, but they're not exactly the same thing.

• DNS poisoning is the technique — attackers inject fake DNS records into a resolver's cache, redirecting legitimate domain requests to malicious sites.
• DNS spoofing is a broader concept. It tricks a system into resolving a domain incorrectly, whether through cache poisoning, on-the-fly response tampering, or man-in-the-middle attacks.

In short, DNS poisoning is one method of DNS spoofing. Hackers poison the DNS cache of a DNS server to deceive users and send them to fraudulent websites, which makes it a form of spoofing. But not all spoofing relies on poisoning — other techniques, like intercepting DNS requests in transit, also fall under the spoofing umbrella.

Signs of a DNS poisoning attack

DNS cache poisoning is sneaky — it operates in the background while users assume they are visiting legitimate websites. You may experience:

• Unexpected redirects. You type in a familiar URL, but instead of landing on the real site, you end up on a phishing page.
• Browser security warnings. Some browsers can detect when a site's certificate doesn't match the expected domain and flag it as suspicious.
• Broken or inconsistent website behavior. Forms may not work, images may be missing, or the site may load unusually slowly.
• SSL certificate errors. A legitimate site should have a valid SSL certificate. If you see warnings about an invalid or mismatched certificate, something's off.

Consequences of DNS poisoning

A successful DNS cache poisoning attack can cause serious financial and reputational damage. DNS poisoning effects include:

• User data theft. Users enter their passwords, credit card details, or personal information on malicious websites, which leads to identity theft and fraud.
• Phishing attacks. DNS poisoning can redirect users to convincing but fraudulent login pages, stealing passwords for banking, email, or corporate accounts.
• Reputational damage. If attackers use a company's domain for phishing or malware, customers and partners lose trust quickly. Cleaning up the mess can take months.
• Malware distribution. Fake sites don't just steal data — some will automatically install ransomware, spyware, or keyloggers on a visitor's device.
• Traffic and revenue loss. When legitimate traffic is hijacked, businesses lose customers, ad revenue, and search engine rankings, which impacts their bottom line.

Domain hijacking vs. DNS poisoning: Similarities

Both domain hijacking and DNS poisoning exploit weaknesses in the Domain Name System (DNS) to redirect traffic from legitimate sites to malicious ones. Attackers use these methods to steal login credentials, spread malware, or manipulate online activity — often without users realizing anything is wrong.

Attacks are especially dangerous because:

• They're hard to detect. Victims land on malicious websites without noticing, and website owners might not realize what's happening until real damage is done.
• They can cause serious harm. Stolen credentials, financial fraud, reputational damage — both attacks can have long-lasting consequences.
• They require fast action. Whether your domain has been hijacked or your DNS cache has been poisoned, responding quickly is the only way to minimize damage.

Key differences between domain hijacking and DNS poisoning

Both attacks are dangerous, but domain hijacking directly affects domain owners, while DNS cache poisoning aims to redirect users to fake sites. Take a look at the other key differences below:

Both attacks can cause serious damage, but domain hijacking is often more disruptive because it can take a website offline entirely once attackers seize control of the domain. Losing ownership means the rightful owner is locked out, and recovering a hijacked domain can be a long, complicated process.

DNS poisoning can be just as dangerous, but it typically operates on a broader scale. Instead of taking down a single site, attackers poison multiple domains to funnel traffic to a malicious destination. Since poisoned caches don't affect every request the same way, some users may reach the real site while others get redirected — making detection even trickier.

How to protect your website against domain hijacking

Domain hijacking can be a nightmare to recover from, so prevention is key. Follow these tips to keep control of your domain:

• Choose a reputable domain registrar. Not all registrars take security seriously. Pick one with robust security features, including domain locking and account protection.
• Secure account access. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for your registrar account. If possible, restrict access by IP address to prevent unauthorized logins.
• Use strong, frequently updated passwords. Even a strong password can be cracked or leaked. Change the password you use to access your site's DNS settings regularly to minimize risk.
• Keep domain contact information up to date. If your registrar can't reach you, you may not get alerts about suspicious changes.
• Monitor your domain records. Check WHOIS records and DNS settings regularly for unauthorized modifications.
• Lock your domain. Many registrars offer domain locking to prevent unauthorized transfers. If someone tries to hijack your domain, this extra layer of security can stop them.

How to protect your website against DNS poisoning

DNS poisoning takes advantage of weaknesses in the DNS infrastructure. Since it operates silently, proactive DNS security measures are your best defense. Here’s what you can do to protect against DNS poisoning:

• Enable DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions). DNSSEC digitally signs DNS records, making it harder for attackers to inject fake records.
• Make DNS queries unpredictable. Use random source ports, randomized query IDs, and mixed-case domain queries to make it harder for attackers to inject fake DNS responses.
• Monitor DNS records. Keep an eye out for unexpected changes in your DNS settings that could indicate an attack.
• Use firewalls and security tools. Intrusion detection systems (IDS) and DNS filtering tools can spot and block suspicious DNS traffic before it causes harm.
• Educate users. Phishing often works alongside DNS poisoning, so make sure your team knows how to recognize fake login pages and security warnings.
• Use secure DNS resolvers. Choose trusted DNS services like Google Public DNS (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1), which have built-in protections against cache poisoning. If you’re using a DNS service that doesn’t inspire trust, learn how to change your DNS server.