Abusive practices by registrars of internet domain names are fuelling growth of cybersquatting and undermining the integrity of the international domain name system, the World Intellectual Property Organisation warned on Thursday.

The UN agency, which runs the world’s most-used cybersquatting arbitration service, reported a record 2,156 cases brought last year, up by a fifth from the previous year and a 50 per cent increase from 2005.