Malware & Botnets Reporting Process

This article explains the reporting process for malware and botnets, clarifying Trustname's role as a domain registrar. It outlines the recommended steps for users to report an issue, starting with contacting their ISP or web host, then the domain owner, and finally, Trustname. The document also provides details on what happens after a report is submitted, as well as the limitations of the registrar's authority.

Key Takeaways

• Reporting Procedure - Users should first contact their ISP, web host, or domain owner before reaching out to us, as these parties can often resolve the issue directly.
• Submitting a Report to Us - If further assistance is needed, users can submit malware or botnet reports through our Abuse Report Form, providing verifiable evidence of malicious distribution.
• Investigation and Actions - Once a report is received, we assign a case number, review the domain, and may disable its Name Servers or work with the registrant to fix compromised sites.
• Legal and Operational Limits - We operate under ICANN and Estonian laws, acting only on valid court orders from Estonia, Germany, Canada, or the United States, without moderating website content.
• Our Ongoing Commitment - We maintain records of reported abuse to strengthen detection systems and continuously improve our anti-abuse measures against malware, botnets, and related threats.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Key Takeaways
• Definition
• Your Action Plan
• Additional Complaint Requirements For Malware
• What Will Happen
• Please Keep In Mind
• Remember

Definition

Malware, an abbreviation of “malicious software”, describes programs designed to damage or gain access to a computer without the knowledge of the owner. Botnets are collections of Internet-connected computers that have been infected with malware and are remotely controlled by an administrator.

Your Action Plan

1. If you wish to have a malware or botnet issue addressed, it’s best to contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or the web host of the source of the malware or botnet.
2. Additionally, try to communicate with the actual domain owner, as they may be unaware of the issue. You can contact them using the information you find by performing a Whois lookup on the Registrar’s website or via a generic service; this may be a link to a contact form or their email address. Look for a line that starts with "Registrant Email". If they are using our Whois Privacy Protection Service (WHOISPPS), you can use the contact privacy form. Please note that we have no control over the content of websites hosted on domains registered with us or any of our registrars.
3. If you still believe Trustname can help you, you may submit a report here: Abuse Report Form - Malware, Botnets & Spam.

Additional Complaint Requirements For Malware

Evidence of the distribution of malware.

What Will Happen

Upon receipt of such a request via our Abuse Report Form, Trustname will :

1. Respond with a case number.
2. Add the site, category, date, and resolution of your complaint to our internal database. Your personal information will not be recorded there.
3. Review the site and investigate your complaint, including validating the court order. Please note that we, as a Registrar, will only accept court orders issued by or domesticated in the courts of Estonia, Germany, Canada, or the United States.
4. If it is a malware- or botnet-infected site, we will either expeditiously reset its Name Servers so that it does not resolve or work with the registrant to resolve an issue where a malicious actor has gained control of their site to use it maliciously.

Please Keep In Mind

• We cannot guarantee any particular outcome, but we will review your complaint and contact you only if necessary.
• Your complaint will be evaluated on its merits and addressed as appropriate.
• You will not receive any updates regarding the evaluation or outcome of the complaint. It is entirely at the discretion of the domain registrant whether or not to respond to you.
• We reserve the right to use your complaint to prove abuse to our customer, if necessary.
• Our team tracks complaints to improve anti-abuse processes and mitigate threats.
• If you submit your report using the Abuse Report Form, you will not receive further notification of receipt for additional submissions from your email address within 24 hours.
• The support code to submit this type of abuse report is S7Q-MLWR-Y9W.

Remember

• Limited Role – Domain name Registrars, such as Trustname, only maintain the system of domain names (example.org) that uniquely identify websites. They are not responsible for the content of the sites to which those domain names point. This means that if you dislike a site or its content, you should first contact the domain owner, then the service that hosts the site (web hosting service), and, if necessary, your local law enforcement authorities. As a domain Registrar, we can only act on court orders issued by or domesticated in the courts of Estonia, Germany, Canada, or the United States.
• ICANN Compliance – According to the ICANN Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA) and Estonian law, as a Registrar, we are not authorized to take independent action against a domain based on third-party allegations. The responsibility for content and activities related to a domain lies with its administrator. However, in accordance with our role as an accredited Registrar, we will take action against a domain administrator if we receive a valid court order or a request from an ICANN-recognized authority.
• Our responsibilities – As a Registrar include addressing issues such as Botnets, Malware, Pharming, Phishing, Spam, DNS security threats, and trademark infringement, as detailed by ICANN refer to. For more information and our recommended solutions to these issues, please take a look at the related articles on ICANN's website.