IP Threat Report
173.239.196.163
ABUSE.MOM — BEHAVE OR GET EXPOSED
Geolocation & Classification
Detection Signatures
| Signature | Description | Points | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burst 20/10s | Abnormally fast request rate — automated scanning | +35 | |
| Burst 22/10s | Abnormally fast request rate — automated scanning | +35 | |
| Burst 28/10s | Abnormally fast request rate — automated scanning | +35 | |
| Burst 6/2s | Abnormally fast request rate — automated scanning | +35 | |
| Burst 8/2s | Abnormally fast request rate — automated scanning | +35 | |
| Danger medium hits: 21 | Medium-risk: admin panels, config files | +60 | |
| Danger medium hits: 49 | Medium-risk: admin panels, config files | +60 | |
| Danger medium hits: 771 | Medium-risk: admin panels, config files | +60 | |
| Danger medium hits: 969 | Medium-risk: admin panels, config files | +60 | |
| Danger strong hits: 126 | High-risk paths: shells, RCE vectors, exploits | +100 | |
| Danger strong hits: 14 | High-risk paths: shells, RCE vectors, exploits | +100 | |
| Danger strong hits: 295 | High-risk paths: shells, RCE vectors, exploits | +100 | |
| Danger strong hits: 372 | High-risk paths: shells, RCE vectors, exploits | +100 | |
| UA changed | Multiple User-Agents — bot rotation technique | +25 |
Observed Activity
Reconstructed HTTP requests from server access logs. Target domains redacted for security.
* Typical request patterns for detected signatures. Actual target domains are redacted.
Timeline
Network Provider
Recommendations
Actions taken & recommended
- IP 173.239.196.163 is blocked at application level (HTTP 403)
- Consider blocking at firewall level (iptables/CSF) to reduce server load
- Other malicious IPs detected in the same /24 subnet — consider blocking 173.239.196.0/24
- Report abuse to the network provider via their abuse contact
- Ensure sensitive files (.env, .git, backups) are not accessible from the web
🌊 Flood / DDoS Mitigation
Implement limit_req_zone in nginx. Deploy CDN with DDoS protection. Configure SYN cookies and connection tracking to throttle 173.239.196.163.
🤖 User-Agent Anomaly Defense
IP 173.239.196.163 shows suspicious UA behavior. Block empty User-Agent requests. Implement JavaScript-based bot detection for sensitive endpoints.
Neighbors in 173.239.196.0/24
Other blocked IPs from the same /24 subnet — indicates systematic abuse from this network range.
Blacklist Status (DNSBL)
This IP was checked against major DNS-based blacklists used by mail servers and firewalls worldwide.
Checked: Spamhaus, SpamCop, Barracuda, SORBS, CBL, UCEProtect. Results may change over time.
Threat Analysis
173.239.196.163 has been assigned a threat score of 255/100 (Critical). This is a critical-level threat. Systems administrators should treat this IP as hostile and block all inbound connections without exception.
The following attack categories were identified:
📊 Threat Analysis
Network traffic from 173.239.196.163, located in Dhok Parali, Pakistan, operating on the network of F.N.S. HOLDINGS LIMITED, has been classified as malicious by our automated threat scoring engine. Over a period of 21 days, this IP generated 213 malicious requests, averaging approximately 10.1 requests per day. This IP is identified as a VPN or proxy endpoint, commonly used to mask the true origin of attack traffic and bypass geographic or reputation-based blocking. Two attack patterns were identified (Request Flooding and User-Agent Anomaly), suggesting a semi-automated campaign that targets multiple vulnerabilities. With a threat score of 255/100, this IP is among the most dangerous addresses in our database. Immediate and complete blocking is strongly recommended.
This IP is associated with a VPN or proxy service. Attackers frequently route their traffic through anonymizing services to obscure their true location. This makes attribution more challenging but the malicious behavior patterns remain detectable.
Related Threats
Security Intelligence
💡 DDoS Mitigation Approaches
Distributed denial of service attacks overwhelm infrastructure with traffic volume. Effective mitigation combines always-on traffic scrubbing, anycast network distribution, rate limiting, and the ability to quickly scale absorption capacity during attacks.
💡 State-Sponsored Cyber Operations
Nation-state actors conduct sophisticated campaigns for espionage, sabotage, and influence operations. Their resources exceed typical criminal organizations, enabling zero-day exploitation, long-term persistent access, and attacks on critical infrastructure.