How to Prevent Typosquatting Phishing Emails Using DNSTwister

Phishing emails, typosquatting, and attack surface management are critical concerns for businesses of all sizes. In this guide, we'll explore how DNSTwister helps you detect, monitor, and protect against malicious domain activity.

What Are Typosquatting Phishing Emails?

Typosquatting, sometimes known as URL hijacking, occurs when attackers register domains that are intentionally similar to legitimate ones by altering, swapping, or adding letters. These domains may send phishing emails or host malicious content designed to trick users.

Unsuspecting end users might believe they're interacting with a real company, inadvertently providing confidential information or clicking harmful links—often part of sophisticated phishing campaigns that can escalate into ransomware attacks.

The Risks: Ransomware Attacks and More

Phishing emails from typosquatted domains can bypass security filters if they closely resemble your legitimate domain. Unsuspecting employees or customers might click these fraudulent messages, potentially leading to:

Ransomware infections encrypting company data
Credential theft or unauthorized account access
Brand damage due to impersonation
Loss of customer trust and possible legal ramifications

Ultimately, attackers rely on human error—people failing to spot slight differences in domain names or trusting emails that appear legitimate at a glance. Humans are one of the most exposed attack vectors in modern cybersecurity; one click can compromise an entire organization’s network or data.

How DNSTwister Identifies & Monitors Typosquatting Domains

DNSTwister continuously checks for newly registered or changed domains that look similar to yours. By analyzing the DNS records of these domains, DNSTwister detects suspicious activity—such as the addition of MX records that could allow an attacker to send phishing emails from a look-alike domain.

1. Register Your Domain for Monitoring

Sign up for DNSTwister and specify which domains you want to protect. DNSTwister automatically scans permutations to find similar names that could be used in phishing emails or IP infringement schemes.

2. Receive Email Alerts & Detailed Reports

Stay on top of threats with instant alerts. Whenever a newly registered domain is detected or critical DNS records change, DNSTwister sends you an email notification.

3. Monitoring MX Records to Thwart Phishing Emails

Domains with MX records can send and receive emails, making them prime targets for cybercriminals. DNSTwister alerts you if a new MX record appears or existing records change, highlighting potential threats before phishing emails reach your inbox.

Quarantine Incoming Emails from Typosquatting Domains

Once suspicious domains are identified via DNSTwister, the next step is preventing those emails from landing in user inboxes. Most email platforms—such as Gmail, Outlook, or self-hosted mail servers—allow IT administrators to set up filters or rules that automatically flag or quarantine messages from known or newly discovered typosquatting domains.

By blocking or redirecting these emails to a quarantine folder, you can mitigate the risk of employees or customers clicking on malicious links or replying to fraudulent messages. This process typically involves creating a policy, rule, or filter specifying the sender domain(s) to intercept.

Common options include:

Domain-based filters: Add the suspected domain(s) to a block list, or place them under heightened monitoring.
Keyword or pattern matching: Some systems allow partial or wildcard matches for domain variations.
Quarantine policies: Instead of outright blocking, suspicious emails are routed to a quarantine folder for review.

API Integration for Real-Time Protection

DNSTwister also provides an API endpoint for advanced users who want to automate their responses to suspicious domains. From within your control panel, you'll find a unique JSON endpoint (e.g., resolved.json) that lists current resolved permutations, their IP addresses, and whether MX records exist.

By integrating this data into your downstream services—such as SIEM tools or custom mail flow filters—you can immediately quarantine or block inbound emails from newly discovered look-alike domains.

Example JSON Output

{
  "resolved": [
    {
      "domain_ascii": "geographicalmedia.net",
      "domain_unicode": "geographicalmedia.net",
      "ip": "3.33.130.190",
      "mx_record_exists": true,
      "newly_monitored": false
    },
    {
      "domain_ascii": "geographic.almedia.com",
      "domain_unicode": "geographic.almedia.com",
      "ip": "64.190.63.222",
      "mx_record_exists": true,
      "newly_monitored": false
    },
    {
      "domain_ascii": "geographicalmed.ia.com",
      "domain_unicode": "geographicalmed.ia.com",
      "ip": "13.248.169.48",
      "mx_record_exists": false,
      "newly_monitored": false
    }
  ],
  "subscribed_domain_ascii": "geographicalmedia.com",
  "subscribed_domain_unicode": "geographicalmedia.com",
  "updated_utc": "2025-01-13T08:08:58Z"
}

As new permutations or DNS changes are detected, this data refreshes automatically, providing a real-time feed of potential threats so you can initiate quarantine or blocking actions without manual intervention.

Typosquatting & Attack Surface Management

Monitoring for typosquatting domains isn’t just about email security—it’s a key element of Attack Surface Management. By proactively identifying potential threats across your domain ecosystem, you reduce the risk of brand impersonation, data breaches, and larger-scale attacks.

Ready to Secure Your Domain?

Don’t wait until a phishing email lands in your inbox. Protect your brand with DNSTwister and monitor for suspicious domain activity in real time.

Sign Up for DNSTwister