The Vietnam Internet Network Information Center (VNNIC) under the Ministry of Science and Technology is urging individuals and organizations to activate the Registry Lock security service to protect their domain names from unauthorized hijacking and DNS manipulation.
In many cases, attackers replicate a website’s interface to trick users into providing login credentials and sensitive data. Illustrative photo: L.Q
In early May 2025, the website of a major Vietnamese e-commerce platform was maliciously redirected to a gambling page. Users were shocked to see a completely different but professional-looking interface when visiting the familiar domain - designed to deceive and steal sensitive data.
According to technical experts from VNNIC, the attack occurred because the domain’s DNS server was altered via the management system of the domain registrar. On the newly assigned DNS server, attackers reconfigured the domain's settings, leading to the unauthorized redirection.
Investigators believe this was likely due to a leaked domain management account. In such incidents, attackers often build fake websites mimicking the original to steal user credentials, payment data, and other sensitive information.
However, VNNIC experts say such a scenario could have been avoided with Registry Lock. Even if attackers possess login credentials, they would be unable to change the DNS server or other critical information. With Registry Lock activated, any attempt to transfer, edit, or update domain details must first go through a strict verification process by VNNIC staff - nothing can be changed automatically.
Despite its benefits, Registry Lock adoption remains low. Of over 650,000 active ".vn" domains, only around 4,000 currently use this service.
To address this gap, on May 20, VNNIC formally advised domain holders to activate Registry Lock to protect against unauthorized takeovers. The service prevents all unapproved changes, including DNS server updates, ownership transfers, registrar changes, or domain deletion.
To activate Registry Lock, contact your ".vn" domain registrar for assistance. Photo: T. Khoa
Speaking to VietNamNet, Thai Huu Ly, Head of Service Development at VNNIC, described Registry Lock as the most advanced layer of domain security in the ".vn" domain ecosystem - comparable to international standards in countries such as Germany, France, and Japan.
“If a domain is like a house, and you don’t use this protection service, a hacker with the ‘key’ - your admin login - can change the locks. With Registry Lock, even if the hacker has the key, the door won’t open. All changes require the verified consent of the domain owner through a strict, specialized communication protocol,” Ly explained.
VNNIC strongly recommends that domain holders, especially large enterprises, banks, insurers, government agencies, news organizations, and businesses with high-value domains, implement the highest available security measures - starting with Registry Lock.
In addition to preventing account theft, Registry Lock protects the organization’s broader digital ecosystem. Since most essential services - websites, emails, payment systems, and e-government portals - operate on domains, this service plays a vital role in safeguarding brand integrity and operational stability.
Although Registry Lock is a paid service, the cost is relatively low. For example, registrar PA Vietnam charges only VND 38,000 (approx. USD 1.50) per month for the service.
