Your domain names are more than online addresses, they’re brand assets, security touchpoints, and trust indicators. Yet many organizations overlook a hidden vulnerability: parked or redirected domains that aren’t secured with HTTPS. 

This blind spot can cost you, both in consumer trust and security posture. 

Secure Parking & Forwarding: The Hidden Threat of Insecure Domains 

Whether you own 10 domains or 10,000, chances are not all of them are actively hosting websites. You may have parked domains for brand protection, future campaigns, or to prevent misuse by third parties, but if those parked or redirected domains don’t support HTTPS, they become low-hanging fruit for cybercriminals and red flags for security auditors. 

Here’s why that matters: 

  • Domains without valid SSL/TLS certificates often trigger browser warnings like “This site can’t provide a secure connection,” driving users away instantly 
  • Services like BitSight® and SecurityScorecard® routinely downgrade organizations for not secure or non-functional domains — even if they’re parked or redirected  

In other words, what you’re not doing with those domains can hurt you. 

Parked Domains: When Defensive Becomes Dangerous 

Did you know that defensive domain registrations, even if parked and forgotten, can trigger security warnings and show up as risk factors in vendor assessments? These parked domains aren’t live sites, but they can still be visited by customers, researchers, and even journalists.  

And if those parked domains have misconfigured wildcard DNS records, they can be hijacked by malicious actors resulting in reputational damage, wasted SEO equity, and a scramble to re-secure what should’ve been simple domain redirects. 

Introducing Markmonitor Secure Forwarding & Parking (SF&P) 

To help companies close this gap, Markmonitor developed Secure Forwarding & Parking (SF&P), a comprehensive solution that transforms parked and redirected domains into secure, trusted destinations. 

Key Capabilities: 

  • Auto-Provisioned SSL/TLS Certificates 
    Each domain is secured with its own certificate; no sharing across customers. Certificates are automatically refreshed every 30 days, staying well ahead of the 2029 industry SSL/TLS validity cap of 47 days 
  • Automatic HTTPS Support 
    Redirects and parked pages are fully HTTPS-compliant, even on strict TLDs and private networks. No browser warnings, no dead ends 
  • Set-and-Forget Simplicity 
    SF&P automatically applies to all compliant zones in your portfolio. Enable once, and it protects every applicable domain moving forward; no manual certs, no hosting setup, no oversight required 
  • Enterprise-Grade Protection 

All traffic is routed through Markmonitor’s infrastructure with built-in DDoS mitigation and Web Application Firewall (WAF), augmented by our world-class DNS with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records included 

Why Secure Forwarding & Parking Matters More Now Than Ever 

Security Posture 

Even if no one visits your parked domains, scanners do; and what they find affects your score. With SF&P, you eliminate a common vulnerability exploited by subdomain hijackers and phishing campaigns. 

Audit & Compliance Readiness 
You won’t have to explain why, for example, 60% of your domains fail HTTPS tests. SF&P keeps your entire portfolio audit-ready, automatically. 

Brand Consistency & Trust 
Every domain, even those not in active use, reflects your professionalism. When users are met with a clean, secure page, rather than a warning or 404, they’re more likely to engage, trust, and return. 

Operational Efficiency 
No need to spin up hosting environments or manually manage certs for every parked domain. SF&P eliminates that workload and reduces risk across the board. 

Are Your Parked Domains Dragging Down Your Online Security?  

Reach out to your Markmonitor representative today and learn how SF&P can safeguard your portfolio.  

Learn More About Markmonitor’s Secure Forwarding & Parking