WhoisXML API Blog

Secure Your SSH Server with iptables and IP Netblocks API

Secure shell (ssh) is the typical tool for getting secure command-line access to Linux (and other Unix flavor) systems. Notably, most Linux-based servers are administered remotely via ssh access. Hence the security of the ssh service is of paramount importance, especially since it is often a very attractive part of the attack surface of an organization. 

The present blog provides a discussion on setting up efficient firewall rules for the ssh service, and extending the whitelist easily with the help of WhoisXML API's IP Netblocks API. The method also works for other services using inbound tcp connections. We discuss a typical iptables firewall on a Linux system. Basic expertise in Linux tools and firewalls is assumed. The recipe works as it is, or with minor modifications also on other systems. 

The Domain Research Suite (DRS) Guide for Journalistic and Media Research

As an aggregator of WHOIS, DNS, and IP data, WhoisXML API can help back up journalistic investigations with verifiable online facts about domains and websites. Researchers and media professionals can use our 9-in-1 hosted Domain Research Suite (DRS) platform to investigate suspicious domains, detect domain registration trends, keep track of the government’s or private sector’s actions towards errant websites, and more.

Getting Started with WhoisXML API’s Newly Registered & Just Expired Domains Database

WhoisXML API’s Newly Registered & Just Expired Domains Database (NRD Database) has a new and improved version. NRD 2.0 features the following changes from NRD 1.0:

• Outputs now come in JSON and CSV.
• A file dedicated to statistics can be downloaded along with the data.
• NRD 2.0 has more data sources and covers more TLDs, giving you daily access to over 1+ million records.  
• New subscription plans are available to meet diverse data needs.
• Users enjoy a concise and consistent file and directory structure across different subscription plans.

Learn more about NRD 2.0 in this comprehensive guide.

Managing Domain Attack Surfaces in the Financial Sector with WhoisXML API

While the cybersecurity landscape constantly evolves, the targets remain consistent. Among the hardest hit by cyber attacks is the financial services industry. In Verizon’s 2021 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), for instance, 65% of security incidents in the industry resulted in confirmed data disclosure.

Mitigating this problem begins by determining where the threat actors are attacking from—inside or outside? Identifying attack vectors is also pertinent.

Threat actors in the financial sector vary. Some are institution insiders and partners, while 56% are external parties. The top attack vectors are phishing and other social engineering campaigns.

One of the keys to a digitally safer financial industry is properly managing as many external attack vectors as possible. External Attack Surface Management (EASM) Solutions that uncovers and addresses vulnerable and dangerous Internet-facing assets, can help achieve this feat.

Scoping the Domain Asset Surface of Today’s Most-Impersonated Brand (Hint: That’s a Bank)

Microsoft often lands at the top of global lists of most-impersonated brands over time. But that’s not always the case as per this research by Vade in which Crédit Agricole was identified as phishers’ favorite.

Building on this finding, we took a closer look at look-alike DNS Internet assets to check if they could be possible contributors to Crédit Agricole becoming a favored phishing target. By scoping part of its DNS attack surface, we hope to shed more light on the subject from a domain registration perspective. Could the volume of typosquatting domains have anything to do with the occurrence?

Demonstrating bulk reverse passive DNS lookup with PowerShell for IT security investigations: the case of the Phorphiex botnet

IP addresses are straightforward input data for IT security investigations: they are technically necessary for nodes of the Internet to communicate. Hence, if they are not deleted in some tricky way after cybercrime has been committed, or they are to be found in any of the logs before the commitment, they help a lot to unfold what has actually happened. 

IBM Xforce exchange is a forum reporting many security incidents that are relevant for those who are in charge of maintaining IT security. In the present blog we shall pick one of their reports and check how we can extend the given information with WhoisXML APIs using PowerShell which comes installed on Windows and can be used on Linux and Mac OS X, too. We assume lower intermediate skills of PowerShell programming to follow the description below. 

What Is Subdomain Takeover and How Does It Happen?

As an extension of a domain name, subdomains play an essential role in the Domain Name System (DNS). Some websites like Wikipedia offer content in different languages using them—en[.]wikipedia[.]org, es[.]wikipedia[.]org, and de[.]wikipedia[.]org, among many others.

Websites can also be segmented by category through subdomains, and sometimes point to third-party-hosted services. For instance, blog[.]example[.]com could contain content hosted by blogging platforms like WordPress, while shop[.]example[.]com could point to e-commerce platforms like Shopify.

While these use cases are helpful and demonstrate the value of subdomains, threat actors can sometimes take control of them and pose threats to website owners and visitors alike. This post explains how, and tackles a specific threat called a “subdomain takeover.”

Using WhoisAPI services from PowerShell: an invitation

PowerShell is a powerful cross-platform interpreter for scripting that can be used for automating the tasks. On Windows systems in particular, it is the primary and native tool for system administration, data processing, and many more activities. The possibilities range from simple scripts to implement command-line solutions to large, object-oriented tasks. 

This blog is an invitation to use WhoisAPI's services in PowerShell. This consists of using RESTful APIs, illustrating the power of the actual services, especially in security and domainer applications. The presentation is aimed at beginners with a very basic background in programming, and no background in PowerShell is assumed. However, experts of PowerShell who have not used RESTful APIs yet, and experts with a UNIX background making their first steps with PowerShell may also find it useful.