Brand Protection Managed Services
What are Brand Protection Managed Services?
NordStellar Brand Protection is a managed professional service, delivered together with a third-party partner, that protects organizations by detecting and/or taking action against fake and fraudulent websites, social media platforms, and third-party app stores that impersonate their brand.
Brand Protection Monitoring Services
NordStellar starts by collecting a list of assets (domains, official logos, social media pages, etc.). This information is used to form an asset list that acts as a baseline for scanning and monitoring the web (fake websites, social media, app stores, etc.).
When potential threats are detected, you are provided with detailed information on the detections with monthly reports. All detected potential or existing brand infringements are subject to enforcement - takedowns, typically.
Monitoring Sources
NordStellar Brand Protection services support these platforms/services:
Web Detections
Monitoring of open and publicly available internet (websites, e-commerce platforms, marketplaces, forums, blogs, etc.)
Social Media
- Meta (Facebook, Instagram)
- X (Twitter)
- Telegram
- Youtube
- Github
- Snapchat
- Steam
- Tinder
- Tripadvisor
- Tumblr
- Flickr
- Discord
- Other (Blogger, BoardReader, Companies House, Duolingo, Foursquare, MySpace, OpenCorporates, Xing, Vkontakte)
App Stores
- Google Play Store
- Apple App Store
- 120 other 3rd party app stores
What is a Takedown?
A takedown is when a fake or fraudulent website, a social media platform profile, or an application on a 3rd party app store is removed from the internet. It's a request, issued to an ISP, web host, social media company, domain registrar, or app store operator to remove malicious or fraudulent content or domains abusing your company's brand.
If detected (or manually reported), NordStellar will begin to take action immediately. As some takedowns can take longer than others to complete, once a fake website (or other type of infringement) is detected, it is automatically sent to global block lists as a part of the enforcement efforts.
What Can Be Taken Down?
Takedowns are performed for malicious domains using your brand, someone impersonating your brand, or an unauthorized mobile app mimicking one of your apps in an App Store or posted as a downloadable file on a website. Additionally, it is possible to try taking down any content that targets the brand and violates specific platform rules.
Specific Takedown Types
Domains
All domains with phishing content are susceptible to being taken down. However, domains with typosquatting alone are usually not taken down by Registrars, as the website must contain malicious content or brand abuse to qualify for a takedown.
Emails
We can facilitate the takedown of email addresses involved in any type of cyber attack or malicious activity, effectively disrupting their use and mitigating potential harm to our clients and their digital assets.
Social Media and Messaging Platforms
We facilitate the reporting and takedown of accounts with different types of infringements, such as Trademark violations, Copyright Abuse, or Impersonation, by expediting requests to our partners. Each platform's policies will restrain what can or cannot be taken down in these incidents.
Phone Numbers
We facilitate the takedown of phone numbers involved in smishing/phishing over SMS cases by expediting requests to our partners.
IP
We facilitate the takedown of infrastructure that hosts infringing content by diligently working with our partners to remove unauthorized material and safeguard intellectual property while ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory standards.
Third-Party Apps
We facilitate the removal of copies of legitimate apps, adware, and mobile malware, or mobile app brand abuse, by expediting requests to our partners.
Other Platforms in General
Anything that violates the policies of the specific platform and related to protecting the brand can be attempted as part of a takedown.
Getting Started
If you are interested in learning more and getting started with Brand Protection Services, please reach out to your Account Manager at NordStellar or contact us at [email protected].