There are many difficulties that can arise out of having a business name that is very similar to another company’s, as we have recently experienced firsthand at ByteGuard.
Lately there has been confusion among callers inquiring about services we do not offer. These callers appear to be consumers whereas we at ByteGuard operate exclusively in the B2B sector. It has come to our attention that these callers are in actuality seeking services from a company by a similar name — “byteskart” on their website, or “BytesGuard” on their invoices — which operates at https://byteskart.com. We want to be clear:
- We are not byteskart or BytesGuard.
- We are not affiliated with byteskart or BytesGuard in any way.
- We do not sell or offer any cyber security products or solutions directly to consumers.
Our official website is https://byteguardcss.com/, and our team’s focus at ByteGuard remains solely on the unique cyber security needs of businesses. We understand the similarity in our names can be confusing and would like to reaffirm to prospective and existing customers that your partnership is with us, a dedicated provider of business-to-business cyber security solutions. For those who are looking for “byteskart” or “BytesGuard,” please be aware that they are a separate entity.
Companies with similar names can present many challenges beyond each getting calls and inquiries that are not intended for them. There are also security issues that can be introduced, so we would like to take this opportunity to have something of a cyber security training session. Here are some cyber security concerns to be aware of and some tips to consider.
The Cyber Security Risks of Businesses with Similar Names
While the above situation is likely accidental, cybercriminals can exploit the confusion that arises out of businesses with similar names, and they primarily do this intentionally through domain spoofing.
Domain spoofing is when attackers create a fake website or email domain that appears legitimate to fool users. For example, an attacker may create a domain called “microsift.com” to impersonate the legitimate domain “microsoft.com,” hoping you’ll ignore everything after “micro.” The fake domain tricks users into thinking they are interacting with the legitimate company, leaving them vulnerable to attacks. Here are a few examples of ways attackers abuse user trust:
- By registering a fake domain, attackers can fool users into visiting a fake website, where users may submit personal information or get scammed.
- Email phishing is a common method of domain spoofing. Cybercriminals use an email address that appears to be from the legitimate company to get recipients to click on malicious links in the email.
- Typosquatting is when attackers use a domain with common typos. Users who are typing a domain name into a search engine and who make a typographical error will be redirected to a malicious website with that same typo in the domain name.
Domain spoofing is any issue that any company can face, but a business with a name that is very close to another’s is more vulnerable. This is because the confusion that already exists surrounding their respective domain names makes customers more likely to fall for attackers’ schemes.
How to Defend Against Domain Spoofing
Now that you are aware of some common security risks involved when businesses have similar names, here are some tips for how to minimize them:
1. Make regular cyber security training a priority for your employees.
Here are some red flags to point out to your employees during cyber security training:
- Unusual emails from trusted contacts (e.g., an email from a colleague that asks for personal information, passwords, or payment)
- Unsolicited links or files in an email
- Alerts of unusual account activity or login attempts that prompt you to reset your password from a link in an email.
2. Communicate with your customers about any existing domain spoofing issues and educate them on how to avoid compromising themselves.
3. Monitor online mentions of your brand to respond to domain spoofing promptly.
To learn more or talk to us about your business’ cyber security needs, contact us today.