Netcraft#Netcraft in Internet culture

{{Infobox dot-com company

| name = Netcraft Ltd

| logo = Netcraft Logo.svg

| logo_size = 200px

| company_type = Private

| foundation = {{start date and age|1994}}

1987-09-04 (incorporation){{cite web |title=NETCRAFT LTD {{!}} Company number 02161164 |url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/02161164 |website=companieshouse.gov.uk |access-date=23 November 2018 |language=en}}

| location_city = London

| location_country = United Kingdom

| area_served = Worldwide

| founder = Mike Prettejohn

| CEO = Ryan Woodley

| services = Cybercrime Disruption
Internet Data Mining
PCI Security Scanning & Web Application Security Testing

| url = {{URL|www.netcraft.com}}

| language = English

}}

Netcraft is an Internet services company based in London, England. The company provides cybercrime disruption services across a range of industries.

History

Netcraft was founded by Mike Prettejohn in Bath, Somerset. The company provides web server and web hosting market-share analysis, including web server and operating system detection. In some cases, depending on the queried server's operating system, their service is able to monitor uptimes;{{cite web | url = http://uptime.netcraft.com/perf/reports/Hosters | title = Hosting Providers Network Performance | access-date = 2007-02-18 }} uptime performance monitoring is a commonly used factor in determining the reliability of a web hosting provider.{{cite web | url = http://web-hosting.itechguide.com/index.php/Articles.html | title = The Best Web Hosting Companies | access-date = 2008-01-24 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080309000315/http://web-hosting.itechguide.com/index.php/Articles.html |archive-date = 9 March 2008}}{{cite web |url=https://www.netcraft.com/about/ |title=Part of the internet since 1994 |website=Netcraft |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423115616/https://www.netcraft.com/about/ |archive-date=23 April 2021}}

The company is also known for its free anti-phishing toolbar for the Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Chrome browsers. Starting with version 9.5, the built-in anti-phishing filter in the Opera browser uses the same data as Netcraft's toolbar, eliminating the need for a separately installed toolbar. A study commissioned by Microsoft concluded that Netcraft's toolbar was among the most effective tools to combat phishing on the Internet, although this has since been superseded by Microsoft's own Internet Explorer 7 with Microsoft Phishing Filter,{{cite web | url = http://www.3sharp.com/projects/antiphish/ | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071130182329/http://www.3sharp.com/projects/antiphish/ | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2007-11-30 | title = 3Sharp Study finds Internet Explorer 7 Edges Out Netcraft As Most Accurate for Anti-Phishing Protection| access-date = 2008-05-25 }} possibly as a result of licensing Netcraft's data.{{cite web | url = http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2007/02/06/netcraft_phishing_feed_to_protect_microsoft_customers.html | title = Netcraft Phishing Feed To Protect Microsoft Customers| date = 6 February 2007| access-date = 2008-05-25 }} The service can only process public IPv4 servers at the exclusion of IPv6. The browser extensions will display security information for a domain's IPv4 servers even when the user is connected to a different server over IPv6.{{cite web | url = https://www.slightfuture.com/blog/netcraft-anti-phishing-toolbar-can-be-fooled-on-ipv6-websites | title = Netcraft anti-phishing toolbar information misleading in IPv6 enabled networks | website = Slight Future | last1 = Aleksandersen | first1 = Daniel | date = 2016-07-19 | access-date = 2016-07-23 }}

In November 2016, Philip Hammond, Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced plans for the UK government to work with Netcraft to develop better automatic defences to reduce the impact of cyber-attacks affecting the UK.{{cite press release|title=Britain's cyber security bolstered by world-class strategy|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/britains-cyber-security-bolstered-by-world-class-strategy|website=gov.uk|access-date=23 November 2018|quote=We will do this through working in partnership with industry - including companies such as the innovative SME Netcraft...|date=1 November 2016}} As of 2022, Netcraft operated the UK government’s National Cyber Security Centre malicious website takedown service.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/05/10/scammers-impersonate-cyber-crime-chief/ |title=Scammers impersonate Britain's top cyber crime chief in fake £5m heist |last=Corfield |first=Gareth |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |url-access=limited |date=10 May 2022 |access-date=24 August 2023}}

In 2023, Netcraft secured growth investment of $100 million from Spectrum Equity Management and appointed a new chief executive, Ryan Woodley. It also moved its headquarters from Bath to London.{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/netcraft-raises-100-million-from-spectrum-equity-7053e6d |title=Netcraft Raises $100 Million From Spectrum Equity |last=Rundle |first=James |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |url-access=subscription |date=18 July 2023 |access-date=24 August 2023}}{{cite news |url=https://nationaltechnology.co.uk/UK_cybersecurity_firm_Netcraft_announces_100m_fundraise.php |title=UK cybersecurity firm Netcraft announces $100m fundraise |last=Law |first=Ross Henry |website=National Technology News |date=19 July 2023 |access-date=24 August 2023}} In September 2023, Netcraft announced the acquisition of Australian internet security analysts FraudWatch International, who have 70 staff.{{cite news |url=https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/embargo-0912-5am-et-netcraft-buys-fraudwatch-to-boost-cybercrime-takedown-a-23046 |title=Netcraft Buys FraudWatch to Boost Cybercrime Takedown Skills |last=Novinson |first=Michael |website=BankInfoSecurity |publisher=Information Security Media Group |date=12 September 2023 |access-date=13 September 2023}}

In 2024, Netcraft released its innovative approach to combating online fraud. By leveraging its AI platform, Netcraft creates decoys to lure scammers, allowing it to monitor and analyze their tactics in real-time. This method enhances their ability to detect and counteract fraudulent activities, improving online security and safeguarding users.{{Cite web |last=Burt |first=Jeffrey |date=2024-06-13 |title=Netcraft Uses Its AI Platform to Trick and Track Online Scammers |url=https://securityboulevard.com/2024/06/netcraft-uses-its-ai-platform-to-trick-and-track-online-scammers/ |access-date=2024-09-03 |website=Security Boulevard |language=en-US}}