Empirical Analysis of DNS Abuse Cases within Australian Domain
Minghao Cai, Sushmita Ruj, Rahat Masood, Salil S. Kanhere · 2025
The Domain Name System (DNS) translates human-readable domain names into machine-readable IP addresses. This critical internet infrastructure faces increasing exploitation through various malicious activities collectively known as DNS abuse. While DNS abuse has been extensively researched globally, the unique patterns and vulnerabilities within the Australian domain space remain understudied. This paper provides a comprehensive empirical analysis of DNS abuse within Australian domain names. Our thorough data collection and analysis allow us to characterize the specific nature of abuse trends within the Australian domain space. We document how malicious actors strategically employ methods to evade detection systems, and highlight the concentration of abuse among specific domain registrations. These research findings provide stakeholders with actionable, data-driven insights, emphasizing the necessity of industry-specific defensive measures and tailored state-level threat mitigation strategies. We have laid the foundation for building a more refined, risk-based Australian digital infrastructure security system.