TL;DR
The .garden top-level domain (TLD) has seen a significant increase in registrations, raising concerns about its security. Analysis revealed that domains using AliDNS nameservers have a notably higher risk score.
✦ Why It Matters
Engineers and researchers should be cautious when using or recommending .garden domains due to rising security risks.
Key Takeaways
Full Summary
The .garden top-level domain (TLD) has experienced a dramatic rise in domain registrations, leading to concerns about its safety and reputation. A study conducted by Interisle analyzed 147,000 .garden domains in 2026, revealing an average risk score of 84, a stark increase from the previous year's average of 55.
The analysis identified that nearly half of these domains were associated with AliDNS nameservers, which had an average risk score of 87. Notably, domains registered through the registrar Spaceship also contributed to the high risk.
Excluding Cloudflare's domains, which had a lower risk score of 81, still resulted in an average risk score of 84 for the remaining domains. This shift suggests that the .garden TLD is becoming increasingly associated with potentially malicious or low-quality domains, raising alarms for users and registrars alike.
Related