To qualify, you must be affiliated with an accredited academic institution such as a university, college, or research institute. Your project should align with the program's goals, which include:
- Advancing research in cybersecurity, internet infrastructure, DNS security, network measurement, or related fields
- Developing non-commercial tools or methodologies that benefit the academic community or the public
- Publishing findings that contribute to the broader understanding of internet security and infrastructure
We ask that you use the data responsibly and comply with all relevant laws, regulations, and ethical standards.
How do I apply?
Contact us from your academic email address with a short description of your project. Please include:
- Your name, institution, and role (student, postdoc, faculty, etc.)
- A brief description of your research project (2-3 paragraphs)
- Which data types or API endpoints are most relevant to your work
- Expected duration of access needed
Please bear in mind:
- Requests from private email addresses will be automatically rejected
- The number of available seats is limited
- Please refrain from submitting multiple requests
You will receive a response only if your application is approved and a seat is available.
What data is available?
Approved researchers receive API access to Whisper's internet infrastructure intelligence platform, including:
- Domain Intelligence API — WHOIS data, DNS records, SSL certificates, and infrastructure relationships for any domain
- IP Intelligence API — Geolocation, network data, ASN relationships, and real-time risk scoring for any IP address
- Domain Management API — Asset discovery and subdomain enumeration
Our platform processes over 45 billion data points across 18 interconnected data types, including domains, IP addresses, ASNs, IP prefixes, nameservers, mail exchangers, SSL certificates, WHOIS/RDAP registration data, and public threat intelligence. Data is aggregated from 2,000+ BGP feeds, global DNS resolution, Certificate Transparency logs, and 190+ threat intelligence feeds.
How long will I have access?
Initial access is granted for 90 days. Extensions can be requested and are subject to approval at the discretion of Whisper Security. Long-term access may be granted for ongoing research projects with demonstrated progress.
What are the terms and conditions?
The complete terms and conditions can be found here. In addition:
- Applicants must attribute the use of Whisper data in their research and publications, including:
- (a) Cite Whisper Security as the source of the data, including the website address (www.whisper.security)
- (b) Indicate the date range during which data was accessed
- Applicants are prohibited from using the data for any commercial purposes
- Applicants are prohibited from sharing API credentials or bulk data exports with third parties
- Applicants are prohibited from using the platform to facilitate attacks, harassment, or surveillance of individuals
- Applicants are responsible for ensuring their use of the data complies with all applicable laws and regulations, including GDPR where applicable
We reserve the right to terminate access to the platform for any violation of these terms.
What research areas are a good fit?
Our platform is particularly relevant for research in:
- DNS security and abuse (typo squatting, domain hijacking, DNS manipulation)
- Phishing infrastructure detection and analysis
- Botnet and malware infrastructure mapping
- Internet topology and routing security
- Certificate ecosystem measurement
- Bulletproof hosting and cybercrime economics
- Internet censorship and access measurement
- Threat intelligence methodology and validation
If you're unsure whether your research is a good fit, feel free to reach out.
Stay Ahead of the Breach
Real-Time Insights. Pre-Attack Intelligence.