Dot AU Domain Name Deadline Looming for Australian Businesses

Australians have until 20 September 2022 to seek priority allocation of a dot au direct domain name that matches their existing domain name.

If you hold a domain name in any other dot au namespace, such as .com.au, org.au id.au created prior to 24 March 2022, you can apply for Priority Status to register its exact match in dot au direct during the six-month period from launch.

If no priority applications have been made for the dot au direct match by 20 September, it will become available for registration by the public at 8:00AM AEDT on 4 October.

To check your priority category, or see if there are other registrants eligible for the dot au direct name you seek, you can use auDA’s Priority Status Tool.

While this new category of domain name allows users to register shorter, more memorable online names, the Australian Cyber Security Centre has warned that it also opens another avenue for cybercriminals to conduct fraudulent cyber activities.

Opportunistic cybercriminals could register your dot au domain name in an attempt to impersonate your business.

As an example, if you have currently registered yourbusiness.com.au, a cybercriminal could register yourbusiness.au or yourbusinesscom.au and use these domains to conduct fraudulent cyber activities.

To help protect your business from cybercriminals, the ACSC recommends that all Australian businesses with existing domain names register their dot au equivalents before 20 September. Otherwise, that name becomes available to the public on a first come, first served basis.

To ensure you have layered defences in place, such as the ACSC-recommended Essential Eight, talk to your Technology Service provider.

Hood Sweeney Technology can assist with registering your new domain names. Please ring Technology on 1300 764 200 to find out more, or to book our service.