An expired domain name is an open door for hackers
Losing a domain name may seem harmless, but the consequences can be serious. If you don’t pay your annual registration on time, your domain enters a 40-day quarantine. After that, it becomes available again. Anyone can take it over — and it happens more often than you’d think.
Why keep your domain name?
- Competitors can hijack your domain and mislead your customers.
- Drop catchers buy expired domains to resell them at high prices.
- Hackers use old domains to access emails, accounts, and sensitive data.
Real-world incidents
In 2024, ethical hacker Inti De Ceukelaire bought over 100 expired domains from governments and hospitals. This gave him access to sensitive information via old email addresses.
In the Netherlands, a hacker intercepted police emails for six months — simply by registering an old domain.
- Thousands of youth care files were leaked after the domain of a Dutch child welfare agency expired.
Hackers stole over a billion records and demanded ransom from a municipality in Wallonia.
The damage? Irreversible.
The cost of keeping your domain? Peanuts.
Smart tips to stay safe
- Check your traffic: Are people still visiting your old domain?
- Review your links: Is your domain still listed online or in internal documents?
- Use email wisely: Set up auto-replies and forwarding.
Only consider letting go of your domain name when you're absolutely sure it's no longer in use. Until then: hold on to it. It’s worth it for your digital security.