Free or open-source software does exist that can help organizations look for and investigate deceptive websites spoofing their brand.
On the other hand, few free tools exist that allow one to take action against online brand impersonation attacks.
To start, let's make it absolutely clear that this is not a screed against free or open-source tools.
The Allure Security team will make use of some of these free tools from time-to-time to augment other methods and technology.
Free and open source software can have a steeper learning curve than commercial software that's designed to be easy to use.
Many free tools also don't have dedicated support.
Because many free and open-source software tools are side passion projects for their developers, they're not always receiving updates to keep them current.
While free tools can be effective within their scope, there is only so much you will be able to detect.
Each tool takes time to learn and operate and context switching resulting from jumping from tool-to-tool may result in a time sink for busy employees.
Below is a sampling of tools that can be used as part of an online brand protection program.
DNSTwist allows users to generate hypothetical domain names that are similar to their brand's website, subsequently checking to see if said domain names are registered.
While there's value there, Allure Security research finds that 71% of brand impersonations use domains that are NOT permutations of a brand's name.
Relying on domain permutations alone will miss a majority of online brand impersonations.
The PhishFinder tool will email a list of high-risk domains to the user and log unresolved high-risk domains in another text file.
We've delved into the pros and cons of various free online brand protection tools.
While these tools offer valuable insights and may be a good addition to your brand protection strategy, it's clear they have limitations.
Reactive tools like Urlscan.io and DNSLytics require prior knowledge of a suspicious URL, and even more proactive tools like Dnstwist have their constraints in scope and technical demands.
If you're looking for a solution that goes beyond the capabilities of free tools, offering wider coverage and better ease of use, Allure Security's online brand protection-as-a-service might be just what you need.
Our platform is designed to save time and extend protection far beyond what free tools can achieve, proactively identifying and addressing online brand impersonation attacks without the need for constant manual work.
Contact us for expert assistance in protecting your brand's reputation online and responding to abuse.
This Cyber News was published on securityboulevard.com. Publication date: Fri, 12 Jan 2024 17:43:03 +0000