Case Study: EU DisinfoLab uncovers disinformation networks with WhoisXML API

EU DisinfoLab Uses Historical WHOIS Data to Cast a Light on Indian Chronicles

EU DisinfoLab, a nonprofit organization focused on investigating sophisticated disinformation campaigns, needed deeper visibility into the web infrastructure behind the “Indian Chronicles” operation, which had been running since 2006 and used fake media outlets, impersonation, and deceptive domain names. WhoisXML API provided historical WHOIS data that helped the team analyze website and domain registration history, especially for domains created before privacy protections became common.

Using WhoisXML API’s WHOIS footprints, EU DisinfoLab was able to uncover and contextualize the disinformation network and complete its investigation into the Indian Chronicles campaign. The research revealed a 15-year-old operation classified as category 6, the highest level, indicating significant real-world impact and hostile responses from policymakers; WhoisXML API’s data was described as critical to that discovery and to broader calls for more domain-name transparency in disinformation investigations.

EU DisinfoLab