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Time:2026-02-28 17:47:48 Author: NiceNIC 
Introduction
As an ICANN accredited registrar, NiceNIC remains committed to proactive DNS abuse monitoring, responsible domain management, and transparent reporting. In line with our compliance obligations and industry best practices, we are publishing our January 2026 Abuse Statistics Report to provide visibility into complaint trends, response efficiency, and mitigation outcomes.
This monthly report reflects abuse cases recorded between January 1 and January 31, 2026.
Key highlights:
- 30,600 complaints processed
- 1.9 day average response time
- 78.83 percent enforcement action rate
- Clear remediation pathway for legitimate registrants
Overall Complaint Overview
During January 2026, NiceNIC recorded:
- Total Complaints: 30,600
- Total Domains Involved: 10,574
These figures represent all abuse related submissions received and processed within the reporting period. Each complaint is categorized, reviewed, and handled according to ICANN Registrar Accreditation Agreement obligations and internal compliance procedures.
Abuse Category Breakdown
The top abuse categories reported in January 2026 were as follows:
1. Phishing
18,814 cases
61.48 percent of total complaints
Phishing remains the dominant abuse vector, consistent with global DNS abuse trends. NiceNIC continues to prioritize rapid investigation and suspension actions for confirmed phishing activity.
2. Trademark Infringement
4,236 cases
13.84 percent
Trademark related disputes remain the second largest complaint category. These cases are evaluated carefully to distinguish between DNS abuse and civil intellectual property disputes.
3. Fraud
2,033 cases
6.64 percent
Fraud cases include scam related activity and deceptive schemes not strictly classified as phishing.
4. Drugs
1,883 cases
6.15 percent
This category primarily involves unlawful online pharmaceutical sales and restricted substance promotion.
5. Spam
1,326 cases
4.33 percent
Spam is reviewed under abuse vector standards when it facilitates phishing, malware distribution, or botnet activity.
6. Other
1,174 cases
3.84 percent
7. Botnet
875 cases
2.86 percent
8. Malware
209 cases
0.68 percent
9. Pharming
35 cases
0.11 percent
10. CSAM
15 cases
0.05 percent
All high severity categories such as phishing, botnet, malware, pharming, and CSAM are subject to strict escalation procedures and immediate mitigation protocols.
Response Time and Enforcement Actions
Average Response Time: 1.9 days
Maintaining an average response time below two days demonstrates NiceNIC's operational efficiency and commitment to timely abuse handling.
Total Paused Domains: 8,335
Pause Rate: 78.83 percent
A pause rate approaching eighty percent indicates decisive enforcement where evidence meets action thresholds. Domain suspension is applied when verified abuse activity is confirmed under applicable policies.
Domain Recovery Statistics
Recovery Rate: 3.71 percent
Recovered Domains: 309
Recovered domains represent cases where domain holders successfully demonstrated remediation, compliance correction, or false positive resolution.
This controlled recovery rate reflects a balanced enforcement model that protects the DNS ecosystem while preserving due process for registrants.
Operational and Compliance Perspective
NiceNIC operates under strict adherence to ICANN abuse handling obligations. Our workflow includes:
- Evidence based evaluation
- Abuse source validation
- Registrant notification
- Remediation opportunity
- Escalation when required
- Clear record keeping for legal and regulatory review
We actively cooperate with global threat intelligence providers and continue enhancing our internal monitoring systems to detect malicious registrations earlier in the lifecycle.
Industry Context
Phishing accounting for over sixty percent of complaints aligns with global DNS abuse statistics reported by multiple industry monitoring organizations. The data reinforces the need for registrars to maintain robust abuse detection and response frameworks.
NiceNIC continues investing in automation, structured reporting systems, and compliance training to ensure abuse mitigation evolves alongside emerging threat patterns.
Conclusion
The January 2026 Abuse Statistics Report reflects NiceNIC's firm stance on DNS abuse prevention, operational transparency, and regulatory compliance.
As the domain ecosystem continues to evolve, NiceNIC remains committed to safeguarding the integrity of the DNS and maintaining trust for registrants, partners, and the global internet community.
We welcome the attention, feedback, and supervision from our customers and the broader public, as transparency and accountability are essential to building a safer and more trustworthy domain environment.
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