15.235.98.137📋 Copy

# IP INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING

Subject: 15.235.98.137/32

Classification: Moderate Risk

Date: Current Intelligence Cycle

Prepared For: SOC Operations Team

---

## EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

IP address 15.235.98.137 is a Canadian-resident OVH-hosted endpoint associated with the Ahrefs infrastructure. The IP carries a moderate risk score of 40, with no current active threat indicators. However, the subnet 15.235.98.0/24 exhibits high abuse density, with 166 threat-identified siblings out of 256 total IPs (65% threat rate). This IP was observed as firewalled with no active services.

---

## OWNERSHIP AND NETWORK CLASSIFICATION

The IP is hosted on OVH infrastructure and resolves to proxy-ca019-san137.ahrefs.net, indicating legitimate association with Ahrefs, a known SEO analytics provider.

---

## RISK ASSESSMENT

Current Risk Score: 40 (Moderate Risk)

Risk Indicators:

• No active threat feeds or campaign associations
• Zero known attacker flags
• No Tor exit node activity
• No spam source designation
• 1 DNSBL listing (of 8 total lists checked)
• Control plane route instability detected

Security Posture: The IP presents minimal immediate threat, but operates within a high-abuse subnet environment that warrants monitoring.

---

## NEIGHBORHOOD ANALYSIS

Subnet: 15.235.98.0/24

• Abuse Density: 0.6484 (High Abuse Classification)
• Total IPs: 256
• Active Siblings: 239
• Threat-Identified Siblings: 166

Risk Distribution in Subnet:

• High Risk: 0 IPs
• Medium Risk: 96 IPs
• Low Risk: 4 IPs

The subnet demonstrates significant abuse activity concentration. The target IP's inherited risk score is elevated to 25 due to neighborhood context, despite individual moderate scoring.

---

## OBSERVATION HISTORY

Total Historical Signals: 28

Key Historical Events:

• 2026-06-18: Recent control plane observations with minimal operator score (0.2174)
• 2026-06-17: Subnet abuse density classified as "high_abuse" with 0.6484 density rating
• 2026-06-17: DNS record for ahrefs.net observed with valid CAA records
• 2026-06-18: Threat signal from Alienvault OTX detected with US-based geolocation correlation

Temporal Analysis: The IP shows no persistent malicious behavior patterns. Threat observation count is limited (1), with no evidence of sustained malicious activity.

---

## TECHNICAL PROFILE

---

## NETWORK CONTROL PLANE

• BGP Prefix: 15.235.0.0/17
• Route Stability: False (Route changes detected in last 30 days)
• RPKI State: Not validated
• DNSSEC: Valid
• Delegation Age: Unknown

---

## RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

For SOC/Defense Teams:

1. Monitor but Do Not Block: Current risk profile does not warrant immediate blocking. The IP is associated with legitimate infrastructure (Ahrefs).

2. Subnet Awareness: Monitor all traffic from 15.235.98.0/24 subnet due to 65% threat sibling rate. Consider implementing subnet-level monitoring rules.

3. Geolocation Discrepancy Note: One historical signal indicates US-based geolocation (Alienvault OTX) conflicting with current Canada profile. This may indicate IP reuse or infrastructure changes.

4. DNSBL Verification: Confirm current DNSBL listing status. Single listing is of low concern but warrants periodic verification.

5. Service Monitoring: IP is currently firewalled with no open services. Maintain awareness of any service changes that could alter risk profile.

---

## CONCLUSION

IP 15.235.98.137 presents a moderate risk profile with no immediate threat indicators. The primary concern is the high abuse density of its parent subnet. SOC teams should monitor the subnet for emerging threats while maintaining awareness of the IP's legitimate Ahrefs association. No immediate defensive action is required, but the subnet should be flagged for enhanced monitoring.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Verify critical details independently.