Leaseweb offers free web hosting to fight cybercrime

In its bid to make the internet safer for all users, Leaseweb has launched a Community Outreach Project offering free servers and bandwidth in support of organizations that monitor, identify and combat the sources of spam and cybercrime. As part of this program we have initially selected a number of organizations to benefit from this program.

Two organizations which work to identify Internet security threats – including spam, viruses, malware and forms of Internet fraud, such as phishing – have already signed up to the project and received servers and bandwidth to assist them in combating cybercrime. These are the website ZeuS Tracker, which monitors Zeus botnets and Quarantainenet, a network management and security organization.

Not-for-profit organizations often have little resources to work with, so these organizations are very appreciative that Leaseweb, as the largest commercial host in Europe, was eager to help. In return, the organizations share the security traffic threat information they receive. With this data Leaseweb can pro-actively take steps to remove offending sites from its network and block malicious servers. It is a superb example of collaboration between the IT and security industries. Leaseweb is seeking to sponsor more organizations as part of its Community Outreach project.

By providing no cost servers and bandwidth to qualified organizations who work with industry to identify Internet security threats, Leaseweb Security is able to quickly identify the sources of potentially harmful online activity. Leaseweb can then quickly remove or block the source of a potential threat protecting users from possible serious consequences.

A spokesperson from ZeuS Tracker said: “When the ZeuS Tracker project began back in 2008, Leaseweb was one of many companies targeted by malicious ZeuS Command & Control Servers worldwide. However, the Leaseweb Security department quickly recognized these hazards to its customers and took its responsibility to fight cybercrime extremely seriously. As a not-for-profit project, ZeuS Tracker is dependent on sponsorship, so the support we receive from Leaseweb is vital in our fight against computer fraud and cybercrime.”

Hosting a large commercial internet infrastructure in Europe means Leaseweb is committed to deterring spam and cybercrime. While we cannot control everything on the network — by working with other security organizations Leaseweb can proactive act to take down malicious sites much down sooner. Organizations such as Quarantainenet and Zeus Tracker provide an invaluable service by monitoring fraudulent activities on the web. Unlike Leaseweb, many internet providers do not have the resources necessary to carry out this vital work. Leaseweb supports the objectives of Zeus Tracker and Quarantainenet. Leaseweb hopes to increase the number of organizations it sponsors in the coming months, ensuring it is doing all that it can to combat nuisance and fraudulent activity on the web and provide a safe and attractive internet environment for Leaseweb customers and users.