Govt 'needs to ensure security of old web addresses'

Category: Security

September 4th 08, 08:58

The UK government should do more to ensure that its old web domain names are not being used for malicious purposes, it has been warned.

According to security firm Sophos, the domain name for the former National High Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU), nhtcu.org, has been bought by a German online marketer.

This was only discovered after a number of websites - including the BBC - linked to the site believing it to be the official NHTCU website.

Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, said in a blog post that while the website currently does not contain any malicious content or adware, the situation should warn the authorities of the security dangers of failing to hold on to old government domain names.

He highlighted the potential for fraudsters to utilise nhtcu.org to mine private information from unsuspecting web users.

"This situation may never arise, but the message is clear - all organisations must take proper care of their website domains, especially if they are widely linked to from other sites," Mr Cluley commented.

According to recent figures from Fasthosts, disputes over domain name ownership have risen by 30 per cent in the last 12 months.

This news story was brought to you by Bluhalo, a leading UK digital agency.

Related News

  1. Website design 'should take all browsers into account'
  2. Live Search Webmaster Centre offering malware detection
  3. Expert recommends monitoring website backing systems
  4. Second website advised for backup purposes