In the war against cybercrime it seems brands are finally fighting back, with the online retail sector leading the charge. According to a report out from WIPO, there were more cases filed against cybersquatters in 2010 than ever before, with 91% of the 2,696 brand infringement cases successfully concluded in favour of the brand owner.
The biggest number of complaints came from the online retail sector, with the likes of Aldi, ASOS, Costco, Harrods and IKEA, tackling online brand issues head on.
The cybersquatting battleground is usually led by the banking and pharmaceuticals industries, so it is significant that the retail sector is currently leading the charge.
The trend is not just for reactive measures. Melbourne IT DBS, the leading brand monitoring and protection experts, has seen a 74% year on year increase in the number of brands for whom it provides domain monitoring services, as increasingly web savvy brands seek to pre-empt cyber-attacks.
James Panton, General Manager, Brand Protection, Melbourne IT DBS, explained why it’s so important to make a stand against cyber-criminals, “It’s absolutely vital that brands take decisive action against cybersquatters. By taking action it sends a clear message to the cybersquatting community, that you will defend your brands in all matters including IP theft. And recovery is more effective in the long-term than trying to buy back domains, since you risk being held to ransom time and time again. Ultimately, most fraudsters are looking for a quick and easy win. Enforcing your IP rights will ensure your brand is not seen as a soft touch when it comes to the control of your online.”
Melbourne IT DBS, is a global leader in online brand monitoring, helping brands manage, protect and optimise their online portfolios. It has more than 3,500 clients with many drawn from the Fortune 500 and FTSE 250 – including brands such as Volvo, LEGO and Twitter.
For further details on the WIPO’s latest report click here.