HostExploit is pleased to present the Q2 2010 report on the ‘Top 50 Bad Hosts and Networks’. At rank #1 in the report, Demand Media/eNom (USA) earns the label of ‘worst host’ from security analysts at HostExploit, taking over the top spot from Ecatel (Netherlands). A detailed analysis shows high levels of Internet ‘badness’ and cybercriminal activity hosted by Demand Media/eNom in their role as a hosting provider.

Using data, supplied by SiteVet.com, together with Open Source Security data partners, HostExploit has released an updated HE Index of the worst internet hosting operators around the world. Compiled by actuarial analysis on data provided from all 34,748 public ASes (Autonomous Systems), the HE Index is presented as an easy-to-understand ‘badness’ rating, on a scale of 0 to 1000, published in tables and charts. With a focus on the worst aspects of cybercriminal activity, the HE Index also takes into account factors such as: size of network; potential for the hosting of botnets; distribution of malware, exploits, rogues and spam.

HostExploit’s unique quantitative study using data across a range of respected data sources produces a more comprehensive analysis on the ‘where’ of Internet hosting ‘badness’ and cybercriminal activity than other current methodologies.

Key findings from the ‘Top 50 Bad Hosts and Networks’ report include:

• The United States has 38% (19 out of the Top 50) of providers hosting Internet badness.
• 6 out of the Top 50 or 12% are based in Russia; 4 or 8% are based in The Netherlands.
• At rank #1 is Demand Media / eNom (US) with an HE Index of 307.5. A detailed analysis shows high levels of botnet command & control servers, badware, malicious URLs, and high levels of abuse via eNom-registered, parked and hosted domains.
• The vast majority of the world’s commercial Internet hosts, ISPs and servers operate effective abuse procedures with a low tolerance for hosting badness. 94.2% of the 34,748 ASes compared had an HE Index of 25.0 or lower, indicating low levels of abuses.
• ‘Bad’ hosts are concentrated into 5.8% of all providers.
• Disclosure in the ‘Q1 Top 50 Bad Hosts’ report has been helpful to a number of hosts. Some in contact with us have made good progress in resolving badness and abuse issues, with decreases by as much as up to 90%.