Your domain name is more than an address on the internet.
It’s your brand, your identity, and the foundation of your online presence. Protecting it is critical. Yet far too often, domain security gets overlooked until something goes wrong.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce risk — but not all 2FA methods are equal. While SMS and app-based codes have been common for years, they come with weaknesses attackers know how to exploit. That’s why at DomainSure, we recommend a stronger option: hardware-based 2FA with YubiKeys.
Why Weak 2FA Leaves Domains Exposed
Threats to domain security are real and growing. In just one recent quarter, researchers uncovered nearly 800,000 domains vulnerable to hijacking, with tens of thousands already compromised. When attackers gain control of your domain, they can redirect traffic, intercept email, and damage your brand beyond repair.
The first line of defense is your registrar account login. But here’s the problem: SMS and app-based 2FA codes are easy to steal.
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SIM Swaps: Criminals can convince mobile carriers to transfer your number to their device, intercepting all your texts.
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Network Weaknesses: The phone system (SS7) has well-known flaws that allow messages to be intercepted.
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Phishing: Fake websites can trick you into typing in your code, handing it straight to attackers.
Studies show SMS codes are far from foolproof. In targeted attacks, they fail nearly 1 out of 4 times. That’s not the kind of odds you want protecting your most valuable digital asset.
Why YubiKeys Are Different
YubiKeys change the game. They’re small physical keys you keep with you, built on modern security standards like FIDO2 and WebAuthn. When you log in, the YubiKey performs a unique cryptographic handshake with the service — proving it’s really you.
Here’s what makes them better:
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Phishing-Resistant: A YubiKey won’t work on a fake site. It only authenticates the service it’s registered to.
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No Codes to Steal: There are no SMS messages or app codes for attackers to intercept.
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Works Offline: YubiKeys don’t depend on your phone carrier or internet connection.
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Tamper-Proof: The private keys never leave the device.
When Google rolled out YubiKeys to all employees, they stopped phishing attacks entirely. That’s the level of protection available to anyone who takes domain security seriously.
How DomainSure Uses YubiKeys to Protect You
At DomainSure, we build these protections directly into our platform. Our YubiKey-secured login option means that even if someone steals your password, they won’t get past the second factor without the physical device in hand.
This approach closes one of the most common gaps in domain security. Shared logins or leftover employee access — the very issues behind so many breaches — simply don’t work the same way when every user has their own account, secured by a YubiKey.
Pair this with our role-based access control and monitoring alerts, and you have a layered defense system for your domains.
Peace of Mind for Your Brand
It’s true: any 2FA is better than none. But in today’s threat landscape, “better than nothing” isn’t enough. SMS and app codes can still be stolen. YubiKeys cannot.
Upgrading to hardware-based 2FA is a small step that makes a massive difference. For the cost of a key, you get phishing-resistant login security that keeps your domains safe from one of the most common and damaging attack vectors.
Your domains are too important to leave to chance. With YubiKeys and DomainSure, you can be confident that your brand’s foundation is protected with the strongest login security available.
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