Introduction

Rogue domain registrars play a critical role in enabling cybercrime by providing a haven for cybercriminals to register and operate domains used in illicit activities. A domain registrar is a company that manages the reservation of internet domain names, but rogue registrars bend or ignore regulatory frameworks and best practices, often knowingly facilitating the use of domains for malicious purposes.

Here’s how rogue domain registrars enable cybercrime:

Allowing Anonymous or False Registrations

Rogue domain registrars often ignore requirements for accurate WHOIS information, allowing cybercriminals to register domains with fake or anonymized details. This anonymity makes it difficult for law enforcement or cybersecurity experts to track down the real operators behind malicious websites, such as phishing sites, malware distribution platforms, and command-and-control (C2) servers for botnets.

Ignoring Abuse Complaints

Legitimate domain registrars usually have procedures in place to respond to reports of domain abuse, such as phishing or spam. Rogue registrars, on the other hand, frequently ignore these complaints or delay action, allowing malicious websites to stay online longer and cause more damage. This approach is appealing to cybercriminals, who know they can operate unchecked for longer periods.

Hosting Malicious Infrastructure

Some rogue registrars provide not just domain registration but also hosting services, making it even easier for criminals to deploy harmful infrastructure, including:

  • Phishing sites: Pages designed to trick users into divulging sensitive information.

  • Malware: Domains used to distribute ransomware, trojans, and other malicious software.

  • Botnet command-and-control servers: Domains that control infected computers (bots) in a botnet to perform activities like distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks or mass spamming.

Bulk Domain Sales to Criminals

Rogue registrars often engage in bulk domain sales to cybercriminals, enabling them to register thousands of domains quickly and inexpensively. These domains are typically used for:

  • Domain shadowing: Registering similar names to trusted brands to deceive users into visiting malicious sites.

  • Fast flux hosting: Frequently changing DNS settings to cycle through multiple IP addresses, making it harder to trace the malicious activity back to a single source.

Facilitating Domain Tasting

Some rogue registrars participate in a practice known as "domain tasting," which involves registering a domain for a short time (typically five days) and then cancelling the registration without paying for it. This allows cybercriminals to test domains for malicious campaigns without financial risk. If the domain proves useful, they’ll register it permanently.

Selling Domains to Known Criminals

Rogue registrars often knowingly sell domain services to entities with clear connections to cybercrime. They may even advertise their willingness to overlook illegal activity, either overtly or through a reputation built in certain circles. Criminals gravitate towards these registrars because of the lack of scrutiny.

Manipulating DNS Services

In some cases, rogue registrars manipulate DNS service (the process that translates domain names into IP addresses) to hijack web traffic or misdirect users to malicious sites. This could be done by:

  • Redirecting users to fraudulent websites.

  • Altering the DNS records of legitimate sites to point to malicious IP addresses.

Offering Domain Privacy Services for Criminals

Domain privacy services hide the personal information of domain owners, and while legitimate in many contexts, rogue registrars offer such services specifically to criminals. This further obfuscates the true ownership and operation of domains tied to cybercrime.

Non-compliance with ICANN Regulations

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) oversees domain name policies, but rogue registrars often operate in violation of ICANN guidelines. They ignore protocols designed to promote accountability and transparency in domain ownership. ICANN can revoke a registrar's accreditation, but rogue registrars tend to resurface under new names or move to jurisdictions where enforcement is weak.

Domain Parking and Typo squatting

Rogue registrars facilitate "typo squatting" by registering misspelled versions of popular domains to trick users into visiting phishing sites. They may also engage in domain parking, where they register unused domains but direct users to pages filled with malicious ads or exploit kits.

Mitigating the Problem

Efforts to counter rogue registrars include increased collaboration between cybersecurity firms, law enforcement, and regulatory bodies like ICANN.

Several steps can be taken:

  • Stronger Regulations: Tightening the rules around domain registration, particularly concerning the verification of WHOIS data.

  • Improved Oversight by ICANN: Increasing ICANN’s ability to revoke registrar accreditation for those that continuously facilitate cybercrime.

  • Domain Blacklisting: Security providers and internet companies can blacklist domains associated with rogue registrars, making them inaccessible to users.

However, the challenge remains that rogue registrars often relocate to jurisdictions with lenient internet laws, making it difficult to enforce global standards.

Conclusion

Non-compliant domain registrars play a pivotal role in enabling internet criminals to carry out scams and frauds on the internet. Their lack of adherence to industry standards and ethical practices has far-reaching consequences, affecting the trust and security of the entire online world.

Addressing this issue requires a collaborative effort between regulatory bodies, industry stakeholders, intel agencies and the vigilant awareness of internet users to ensure that the internet remains a safe and trustworthy place for all.