Cyber Security And Doppelgänger Domains

Have you ever heard of the term doppelgänger domains? Until recently, we hadn't either. Mind you, I would bet that, in some way or another, you may have already come across one.

Have you ever quickly typed in a web address only to realize that you have misspelt it and landed on some poorly designed "catch-all" website? Have you ever received an email that appeared to be from the Canada Revenue Agency, Microsoft or Apple but there was something that seemed a bit "off"? Very likely these were using doppelgänger domains, otherwise known as "typo-squatting". In these cases, imitation is not the sincerest form of flattery. Typically, a doppelgänger domain is constructed with an unnoticeable typo such as exchanging two Vs for a W, a zero for an O or a small L for an I; something that at first glance is not immediately obvious.