Netcraft Launches AI

New predictive capability proactively identifies, disrupts, and takes down attacker-controlled phishing and Business Email Compromise (BEC) impersonation domains before campaign launch

SALT LAKE CITY and LONDON , March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Netcraft , the global leader in brand protection and threat disruption, today announced the launch of Preemptive Domain Disruption, a new predictive capability that proactively identifies, disrupts, and takes down criminally controlled domains before they are used in phishing attacks and fraud campaigns. Building on Netcraft's industry-leading Domain Detection and Takedown platform, the new AI-powered Preemptive Domain Disruption shifts further left in the attack chain, helping security teams eliminate threats before content goes live. Early customer results demonstrate the effectiveness of disrupting domains before attacks begin, with approximately 90% of criminally-controlled domains being taken down within 24 hours. One enterprise implementation saw more than 21,000 takedowns in just 3 months, completely eliminating the window for risk exposure and victimization.

These results are possible because attackers often register domains well in advance of launching campaigns, often days, weeks, or even months ahead. Netcraft's AI-powered Preemptive Domain Disruption exploits the window from registration to activation to dismantle malicious infrastructure before it can host harmful content or be used in attacker campaigns.

Key benefits of Netcraft Preemptive Domain Disruption include:

This development reflects a shift toward -generation digital risk protection, which identifies and disrupts malicious infrastructure before attacks reach potential victims. Combined with Netcraft's proven takedown capabilities for active threats, this proactive approach to threat disruption is helping redefine how the industry prevents cybercrime.

Peter Cassidy, Co-Founder Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG), said: "Netcraft's approach to preemptively disrupting malicious campaigns brings the contest against cybercrime where it belongs: into the future. With AI tools simplifying cybercrime's scaling, prevention is more vital than ever. Long-time APWG member Netcraft will be contributing data from Preemptive Domain Disruption to a new sub-category of predeployed domain names on APWG's member eCrime eXchange, reflecting Netcraft's steadfast commitment to securing Internet infrastructure."

Ryan Woodley, CEO, Netcraft, said: "Attackers operate differently in an AI age. They can quickly stand up infrastructure well in advance of a campaign. With more than two decades of fighting cybercrime and disrupting online threats, Netcraft is uniquely positioned to deliver Preemptive Domain Disruption, which leverages our knowledge of threat actor behavior to identify signals of malicious activity before domains are used in an attack. By removing attacker infrastructure upstream, we don't just detect threats faster; we prevent them from reaching our customers and the people who trust them."

Media : Corey Eldridge Force4 Technology Communications corey@force4.co

View original content to download multimedia:

The articles, information, and content displayed on this webpage may include materials prepared and provided by third parties. Such third-party content is offered for informational purposes only and is not endorsed, reviewed, or verified by Morningstar.

Morningstar makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or reliability of any third-party content displayed on this site. The views and opinions expressed in third-party content are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Morningstar, its affiliates, or employees.

Morningstar is not responsible for any errors, omissions, or delays in this content, nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Users are advised to exercise their own judgment and seek independent financial advice before making any decisions based on such content. The third-party providers of this content are not affiliated with Morningstar, and their inclusion on this site does not imply any form of partnership, agency, or endorsement.