Cybersquatting
Cybersquatting is registering or using a domain name with the purpose of getting profit from someone else's trademark. It also refers to buying domain names that use the names of existing businesses. Another meaning of Cybersquatting is the use of illegal domain name. It simply means squatting on someone else’s domain name or sitting on someone else’s domain name.
In the early days, many companies did not setup website. So there was this set of people who started buying domains that look like the websites.
For example, if XYZservice was not taken up, cybersquatters bought www.XYZservice.com so that when XYZservice wanted this domain name website, it had to pay to get back the domain name.
Let’s see the example of cybersquatting. Suppose you have a famous business like XYZ Services and a trademark saying XYZ Services, obviously people will think that your website will be www.xyzservices.com. But XYZ Services did not think about setting up a website or registering this domain on the web, and then someone else’s already bought the URL. Now to host its own website and to prevent damage to its reputation, the business xyz service will have to buy back the URL from whoever purchased it.
This is the best way to buying back the URL without any loss.
There are many methods which are legal to gel back URLs but the legal process takes more time, too long and more costly than simply buying back URLs.
Typosquatting
Typosquatting mainly focuses on typographical errors. Many users accidentally enter an incorrect spelling of website address into web browser so by this user may be lead to another website which may be owned by a hacker. Gooogle.com, linkin.com, youube.com are some example.
Typosquatting is a type of cybersquatting which also registering the domain name but by intentionally misspelt names of a popular website.
Hackers create fake websites which very much look like the website you want to go. These websites imitate the feel of your intended website so you do not even realize that you are on the different website. The intention of hacker is to steal your personal information. These websites are also dangerous because they could download malicious software on your devices.
So in order to protect yourself from typosquatter, you must give full attention to the spelling of web address and website that looks trustworthy.
The main difference between cybersquatting and typosquatting is that in cybersquatting you knowingly registering a domain name that is trademarked and then sells it to the trademark owner at a profitable price.
But in typosquatting, you intentionally registering a misspelt domain name of the popular trademark to perform the unfair activity.
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