Open Access

Amit Ravindrasa Miskin

• Organizations striving to achieve success in the long term must have a positive brand image which will have direct implications on the business. In the face of the rising cyber threats and intense competition, maintaining a threat-free domain is an important aspect of preserving that image in today's internet world. Domain names are often near-synonyms for brand names for numerous companies. ThereOrganizations striving to achieve success in the long term must have a positive brand image which will have direct implications on the business. In the face of the rising cyber threats and intense competition, maintaining a threat-free domain is an important aspect of preserving that image in today's internet world. Domain names are often near-synonyms for brand names for numerous companies. There are likely thousands of domains that try to impersonate the big companies in a bid to trap unsuspecting users, usually falling prey to attacks such as phishing or watering hole. Because domain names are important for organizations for running their business online, they are also particularly vulnerable to misuse by malicious actors. So, how can you ensure that your domain name is protected while still protecting your brand identity? Brand Monitoring, for example, may assist. The term "Brand Monitoring" applies only to keep tabs on an organization's brand performance, reception, and overall online presence through various online channels and platforms [1]. There has been a rise in the need of maintaining one's domain clear of any linkages to malicious activities as the threat environment has expanded. Since attackers are targeting domain names of organizations and luring unsuspecting users to visit malicious websites, domain monitoring becomes an important aspect. Another important aspect of brand abuse is how attackers leverage brand logos in creating fake and phishing web pages. In this Master Thesis, we try to solve the problem of classification of impersonated domains using rule-based and machine learning algorithms and automation of domain monitoring. We first use a rule-based classifier and Machine Learning algorithms to classify the domains gathered into two buckets – "Parked" and "Non-Parked". In the project's second phase, we will deploy object detection models (Scale Invariant Feature Transform - SIFT and Multi-Template Matching – MTM) to detect brand logos from the domains of interest.…