ICANN updates data on DNS abuse enforcement

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has updated its public DNS abuse reporting dashboard, with data now covering the period from August 2025 through July 2026.

DNS abuse refers to the misuse of domain names and related Internet infrastructure for activities such as phishing, malware distribution and other forms of malicious activity. ICANN’s role in addressing these issues focuses on the responsibilities of domain registrars and registries under their contractual agreements.

The updated dashboard provides more detail by distinguishing between allegations reported to ICANN and complaints that its compliance teams determine are actionable. It also distinguishes between domain names that were registered specifically for malicious purposes and legitimate domains that were later compromised.

These distinctions are important because a larger number of reported complaints does not necessarily mean that the overall level of cyber abuse has increased. Similarly, a higher number of compliance cases does not automatically indicate stronger enforcement.

The expanded data is intended to provide greater visibility into the implementation of contractual requirements introduced by ICANN in 2024, which require registries and registrars to take measures to address DNS abuse.

The new reporting allows stakeholders to examine trends in the types of abuse reported and how cases progress through ICANN’s compliance process. However, the available information does not by itself provide enough data to determine whether enforcement has become more effective or whether increases in activity mainly reflect a higher volume of reports.

The more detailed reporting gives the ICANN community additional information for evaluating how DNS abuse complaints are handled and whether contractual measures are translating into effective action.