For most businesses, domains feel like a simple checklist item: buy once, set up, forget. But forgetting to renew a domain can create a huge security hole. When a domain expires, it doesn’t just disappear. Anyone can register it — including attackers.
A simple real-world scenario
- A company uses example-project.com for a marketing campaign.
- After the campaign ends, the domain is forgotten and allowed to expire.
- An attacker buys the expired domain.
- They recreate the old site design — but with fake login forms or malware.
- Customers, partners, or even employees who still trust the old links fall into the trap.
Result? Phishing, fraud, and brand damage — all from a $10 oversight.
Why it matters
- Expired domains often still circulate in old emails, documents, or bookmarks.
- Attackers exploit brand trust to trick users.
- Fraud through hijacked domains is cheap, effective, and challenging to trace back quickly.
How to protect your business
- 🗓 Enable auto-renewal for all domains.
- 📋 Keep an up-to-date inventory of every domain your business has ever used.
- 🔍 Monitor expired domains to see if they get re-registered.
- 🔑 Redirect old domains to your main site instead of letting them die.
- 🤖 Use automated security monitoring to detect forgotten assets before attackers do.
Final thought
A forgotten domain is an open door. And in cybersecurity, it’s rarely the biggest system that gets you — it’s the small things you forgot to lock.
