Links intended to direct users to community council websites on the Scottish Borders Council's official site were instead leading to offshore casino portals, according to a BBC Scotland News report. The council's website features a directory of all 69 community councils in the region, providing contact information and links to their online presences.
Domain Squatting Identified
However, the BBC investigation discovered that 16 of these links were directing visitors to websites advertising offshore casinos, which operate outside of strict UK gambling laws. These links were promptly removed by the local authority upon notification. A cybersecurity expert described the incident as an example of "domain squatting." This practice involves acquiring expired domain names or desirable domain names, often with the intention of redirecting traffic intended for legitimate sites.
Dr. Daniel Thomas, a cybersecurity expert from the University of Strathclyde, explained that expired domain names associated with reputable websites, or those with desirable extensions like .org or .org.uk, are targets for this practice. He noted that it is not illegal to purchase expired domain names. Thomas suggested that the community council websites were likely targeted because their URLs appeared on the Scottish Borders Council website, making them attractive for redirection. When users searching for local community groups encountered the gambling sites, it would be apparent that something was amiss. However, those seeking offshore gambling sites might be misled into believing the redirected community council sites were recommending these gambling portals, as they would appear high in search results.