Typosquatting is a form of cybersquatting in which an individual or entity registers a domain name that is a common typographical error (or misspelling) of a well-known or popular domain name. This practice typically exploits user mistakes when typing URLs into a web browser. For example, a typosquatter might register "goggle.com" instead of "google.com." These domain names may be used for various purposes, including phishing, distributing malware, generating pay-per-click advertising revenue, or redirecting traffic to competing or affiliated websites.
The phenomenon is facilitated by the global nature of domain name registration and the speed with which domains can be registered. Legal recourse against typosquatting is often pursued under policies such as the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) or, in jurisdictions like the United States, the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA), which may provide remedies when bad faith registration and intent to profit from another's trademark are demonstrated.
Typosquatting remains an ongoing concern in internet security, prompting organizations to proactively register common misspellings of their domain names to protect brand integrity and user safety.