With the climbing number of online IP infringement cases, new research is showing that domains, rather than social platforms or e-marketplaces, are now the earliest and most exploited touchpoints for brand abuse.

In our 2025 IP Frontiers Report, 91% of legal leaders say they’re concerned about online IP infringement, yet only 16% of legal teams have reported full visibility into their domain portfolios.

So, how did domains quietly advance to become a starting point of IP protection? This blog will outline the exact domain strategy that can help to close oversight gaps and define why domain management is essential to brand protection.

How domains became the new frontline of IP and cyber defense

As digital ecosystems expand, domains have now turned into a launchpad for nearly every form of online IP infringement. Fake domains now underpin phishing campaigns, brand impersonation, counterfeit websites, and fraudulent email activities, often enabling attackers to effortlessly mimic trusted brands.

CSC’s IP Frontiers Report 2025 singles out the following infringement types as the most encountered by enterprises today: trademark abuse, counterfeiting, and brand impersonation. The common thread among all three? Misleading and malicious domains.

“Fake web domain names are often the starting point for serious IP infringement, and it has never been easier for fraudsters to register any domain name they choose,” says Elliott Champion, CSC global product director, Brand Protection and Anti-Fraud. He points out that low barriers to registration allow fraudsters to easily set up convincing lookalike websites in mere minutes.

Retail vs. corporate registrars: the right choice for brand and IP protection

Registrar choice is now an essential cybersecurity decision to protect an enterprise’s brand, employees, and users. It’s important to note the difference between Retail Registrars and Corporate Registrars, which are both purposed for different needs:

These distinctions map directly to the risk surface highlighted in the IP Frontiers, where organizations have reported a surge in brand abuse and impersonation fueled by low-security environments.

For enterprises managing hundreds or thousands of domains, a corporate registrar may be the ideal choice to prevent brand, legal and financial exposures.

Proactive monitoring, enforcement, and takedown: shrinking the attack window

As we deal with the growing scale and speed of IP infringements, organizations have increasingly turned to specialized domain monitoring and coordinated legal-IT enforcement partnerships. 56% of legal teams already outsource some monitoring activity and are planning to outsource more, citing bandwidth constraints and the need for rapid takedowns.

CSC’s 3D domain monitoring capabilities, including domain discovery, brand abuse intelligence, and global takedown enforcements, reduce the attack window by coordinating cross-jurisdictional response efforts and serving as the bridge in between.

By taking on a proactive stance, CSC is better prepared to take on sophisticated phishing, counterfeit marketplaces, and domain-based fraud that requires integrated legal, IT, and enforcement workflows.

Close the oversight gap: a legal—marketing—IT playbook

Although 76% of organizations have an existing domain strategy, only 16% of legal teams can gain total visibility into the domain portfolio. This oversight gap stems from fragmented ownership across Legal, Marketing, and IT; these siloed operations create blind spots for domain audits, which a cross-functional digital governance model can help bring together. Organizations with strong IP outcomes typically adopt such a cross-functional governance system, bringing together:

• Legal: trademark protection, enforcement, compliance
• IT and security: DNS management, access controls, registry locks, SSL
• Marketing: campaign domains, redirects, customer experience
• Executive oversight: risk management and resource prioritization

Quarterly joint reviews and a centralized domain management platform give enterprises the visibility needed to address rapidly evolving threats and tackle accidental lapses.

The AI acceleration: faster fakes, higher stakes

AI is also quickly becoming a vehicle for IP deception cases. The IP Frontiers Report 2025 reveals 88% say AI increases the frequency of IP infringement, while 93% expect AI-generated content to harm business integrity.

Generative AI enables attackers to generate convincing brand assets, executive impersonations, and automated phishing at scale. These AI Impersonation tactics almost always start with malicious domains filled with fabricated content, which easily pass off as legitimate brand content.

CSC’s AI-enhanced monitoring and data partnerships can provide an augmented defense model, helping brands detect anomalies earlier for faster responses. This remains a priority as attack velocity continues to rise.

Best practice checklist for strong domain and IP protection

To ensure your IP and domain security covers all ground, it’s essential to ensure the following:

• Use a corporate registrar with registry lock, Domain Name System Security Extensions, and MFA.
• Continuously monitor for lookalikes; respond within hours.
• Centralize domain inventory and expiration management.
• Coordinate legal-IT takedowns and escalation protocols.
• Run quarterly access and hygiene reviews.

Strengthen your frontline with a proactive domain strategy

Download the latest IP Frontiers report or speak with a CSC professional to learn more about protecting your brand.