DNS Abuse Watch – Digital Space for Digital Governance

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DNS Abuse Watch

One Nexus, One Africa.

About DNS Abuse Watch

Alternate Website

https://www.dsdg.dnsafrica.org/abuse/

The Domain Name System (DNS) is the fundamental directory of the internet, but it is frequently exploited by bad actors to facilitate cybercrime.

Dedicated to a safer internet, DNS Abuse Watch is an independent initiative that monitors and mitigates threats within the domain naming layer. We combine data-driven analysis with advocacy to identify DNS exploitation and protect both users and global infrastructure from technical abuse.

Our Vision: A digital landscape where DNS abuse is marginalized through rapid detection, industry accountability, and global cooperation.

Our Mission: To reduce the global footprint of DNS-based threats through continuous monitoring, stakeholder accountability, and evidence-based policy advocacy.

Why It Matters: When DNS abuse goes unchecked, it erodes trust in the digital ecosystem. Beyond the immediate financial loss to victims, it compromises the integrity of the internet's core infrastructure. DNS Abuse Watch serves as a neutral observer and advocate, ensuring that the "phonebook of the web" remains a safe place for everyone.

The Digital Safety Gap: DNS abuse isn't just a technical glitch—it's the foundation of modern cybercrime. By securing the naming layer, we disrupt the economics of online harm.

Observer . Advocate

What We Track

DNS abuse generally falls into five broad categories. We focus our monitoring efforts on these core "technical" abuses:

Phishing: Deceptive domains created to steal sensitive information (credentials, credit card numbers).
Malware: Domains used for the distribution of malicious software or as command-and-control (C2) centers.
Botnets: Large-scale networks of compromised devices coordinated through DNS instructions.
Pharming: Malicious redirection of users from legitimate websites to fraudulent ones.
Spam: The use of DNS resources to facilitate the massive delivery of unsolicited and harmful content.

Our Approach

We believe that data-driven insights are the most effective way to combat online threats. Our methodology is built on three pillars:

Continuous Monitoring: We aggregate data from global threat feeds, registrars, and security researchers to identify patterns of abuse in real-time.
Reporting & Transparency: By publishing regular reports on abuse trends across different Top-Level Domains (TLDs) and registrars, we hold stakeholders accountable.
Collaborative Mitigation: We work alongside registries, registrars, and law enforcement to streamline the "take-down" process and reduce the lifespan of malicious domains.

Get involved

For Researchers

Access our latest Threat Intelligence Reports.

For Policy Makers

Read our Quarterly DNS Health Analysis.

For the Public

Report a suspicious domain or sign up for our Abuse Alert Newsletter.

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The Team

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