We recently announced that our IP netblocks services underwent data enrichment. Users of our database and API should be delighted to know that our ratio of IP netblocks from Latin America and the Caribbean with some meaningful contact information increased from 0% to 61%. Most of the entries previously showed redacted results, but that is no longer the case. We have substantially improved the ratio of IP netblocks with said information for other regions as well.

In light of this welcome development, we wrote this article for users looking for LACNIC netblock data for different purposes. The post includes some background on LACNIC and shows how to search for available IP blocks and effectively assess those they come into contact with by using our IP Netblocks WHOIS Database and IP Netblocks API.

Updates on the LACNIC IP Block Depletion

LACNIC is the RIR that manages the critical Internet resources in the South American and Caribbean region. It is mainly responsible for regulating the Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) and version 6 (IPv6) address spaces and for assigning Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs) to network operators and organizations. The nonprofit organization runs workshops, courses, and webinars to educate network engineers, companies, and website owners on Internet governance and the transition to IPv6 deployment.

People may know little about LACNIC’s activities due to its still nascent online community and infrastructure, which only came into existence some two decades ago. However, the authority was known for attracting some coverage for its dwindling IPv4 allocation. Since its establishment in the early 2000s, the organization has distributed over 180 million IP addresses to its members. The so-called IPv4 pool exhaustion called for companies in the geographical area to adopt IPv6 as soon as possible.

As a result, LACNIC announced that it would become more conservative in handing out IP blocks to former members. Instead, it now aims to prioritize applications from new members for its remaining IP addresses. Old members who would like to add new blocks to their portfolios would have to wait six months before their applications are processed.

When to Use the LACNIC IP Netblocks WHOIS Database

From time to time, IPv4 brokers announce that they will be listing LACNIC WHOIS blocks on the market. It is worth noting that such blocks could sometimes be valued at high prices, and believe it or not, there are global brands willing to pay hefty sums for them. Some companies, for instance, prefer not to recycle their IP address allocations (via network address translation, for example) and deem that they are better off with new IP block allocations.

Figuring out which LACNIC WHOIS block is for sale and vetting them can be daunting when done manually or when delegated to third parties. However, corporations can consult an IP netblocks WHOIS database for LACNIC-based addresses to ease their search.

The database can provide users with insights on neighboring netblocks that are free, or whose rights might be on offer for transfer. Using the database, users can find out the specific IP addresses belonging to certain LACNIC companies, and when they were last updated. The last update date may be an indication that the netblock has been neglected or is not being used. 

By entering the resource assigned to your company (e.g., IPv4, IPv6, or ASN) into the database, you can retrieve detailed information about the network’s name, its IP range owners or maintainers, and their locations.

When to Use IP Netblocks API

IP Netblocks API, meanwhile, is useful for cybersecurity researchers and network analysts who want to be alerted of potentially dangerous IP netblocks through their own applications. Users can integrate the API into security information and event management (SIEM), security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR), and threat intelligence products. That way, they can help proactively track and block entire IP netblocks that have nothing to do with their corporate network or supply chain or serve as homes to malicious IP addresses.

Another useful business application of IP Netblocks API is network filtering, especially for digital rights management (DRM) or brand protection. It is compatible with business intelligence and marketing software and can alert you whenever users are accessing your network from restricted locations. Like the IP Netblocks WHOIS Database, the API only needs the IP address or range to identify who its owner is.

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IP Netblocks WHOIS Database can be a time-saving research resource if you’re in the market for new IP blocks for your organization or otherwise following the digital footprints of offenders and ranges of IP addresses that may cause you trouble. 

Depending on your needs and preferences, it might be even more practical to integrate IP Netblocks API into your systems so you can get alerts when new blocks are made available for sale or are involved in attacks.