-- Domain Name System coordinator responds to the Internet Security 
     Threats COVID and the Russia-Ukraine war pose for all users

In the midst of global crises, such as a pandemic or a war, malicious online 
activities typically increase. Bad actors seek new ways to install malware on 
devices without the user's consent to gather sensitive information or gain 
access to private computer systems. They also trick users into revealing 
sensitive personal, corporate or financial information – this is known as 
phishing. 
  
Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1810953/ICANN_Logo.jpg

To combat Internet malware and phishing, the Internet Corporation for Assigned 
Names and Numbers organization (ICANN) developed an evidence-based approach 
that identifies domain names that appear to have been used for malicious 
purposes and are related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.

The Domain Name Security Threat Information Collection and Reporting (DNSTICR) 
is an innovative, robust, and linguistically comprehensive tool that searches 
for and reports potentially malicious activities of domain names and their 
background information to registrars, the entities that offer domain name 
registration services. DNSTICR provides another layer of defense in the ICANN's 
fight to protect Internet users from Domain Name System (DNS) security threats.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, ICANN has analyzed 579 separate terms, 
which resulted in 438,819 domain names being examined. From these, 23,452 
domain names were seen to be potentially active and malicious. After ICANN 
analyzes these domain names and reports the phishing attacks, the registrar has 
all the evidence needed to decide on the best course of action to remove the 
threat.

"ICANN is committed to doing its part in the collective efforts to mitigate 
these threats, especially when criminals attempt to leverage the Domain Name 
System to take advantage of unsuspecting Internet users," said John Crain, 
ICANN's Chief Technology Officer.

ICANN's response to DNS security threats is an example of the organization's 
efforts to provide verifiable data, unbiased research, and expertise to 
facilitate fact-based discussions on the technical operations of the Internet.

The DNSTICR initiative is just one of many ICANN efforts that aligns with the 
organization's purpose and commitment to promote a broad participation of 
public and private actors to make the Internet safer, more secure, and 
interoperable. ICANN's DNS Security Threat Mitigation Program recently 
published a report on DNS abuse trends relying on four years of data (read The 
Last Four years in Retrospect: A Brief Review of DNS Abuse Trends) ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3526243-1&h=854076602&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.icann.org%2Fen%2Fsystem%2Ffiles%2Ffiles%2Flast-four-years-retrospect-brief-review-dns-abuse-trends-22mar22-en.pdf&a=The+Last+Four+years+in+Retrospect%3A+A+Brief+Review+of+DNS+Abuse+Trends 
).

For more information on this tool, visit our DNSTICR dedicated webpage:  
https://www.icann.org/dnsticr-en 

Find out about ICANN org-wide efforts to mitigate DNS security threats: 
https://www.icann.org/dns-security-threat 

About ICANN
ICANN's mission is to help ensure a stable, secure, and unified global 
Internet. To reach another person on the Internet, you need to type an address 
– a name or a number – into your computer or other device. That address must be 
unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN helps coordinate and 
support these unique identifiers across the world. ICANN was formed in 1998 as 
a nonprofit public benefit corporation with a community of participants from 
all over the world.

Source - ICANN

Media Contact: Alexandra Dans, Communications Director, The Americas, 
Montevideo, Uruguay, +598 95 831 442, alexandra.dans@icann.org ; Or 
press@icann.org