Editorial Policy

Clarity — We write in plain language and separate summary, methods, indicators, and limitations so readers can act fast.

Trust Sources — We rely on verifiable evidence and cite primary sources whenever possible.

Privacy by design — We minimize data collection, redact personal data, and avoid publishing details that enable harm.

Freshness — We timestamp every piece and review high-risk topics on an accelerated schedule.

Bylines reflect the writer or a house pseudonym used for researcher safety (e.g., Brendan Smith).

Pseudonym policy: Some analysts use a pseudonymous byline due to documented harassment from cybercriminals. Content under a pseudonym is peer-reviewed and fully accountable to Gridinsoft.

Organizational accountability: Gridinsoft LLC is responsible for the accuracy and integrity of all publications. A reviewer from the Threat Research Team signs off on each piece.

Primary over secondary: Prefer original evidence (WHOIS/registrar records, hosting/ASN, DNS or passive DNS, malware samples and hashes, blacklist intelligence, official statements, court filings).

Corroboration: Substantive claims are cross-checked against at least two independent sources when feasible.

Transparent references: We link to source material or include redacted screenshots; hashes and timestamps are provided where safe.

User reports: We treat user submissions as leads, not facts, until verified.

Conflicts: If a source has a stake in the outcome, we disclose it and seek independent confirmation.

Redaction: We remove PII, access tokens, credentials, and sensitive paths from artifacts and screenshots.

Responsible linking: Links to risky domains or samples are defanged or routed through warnings; we use rel="nofollow noopener" and referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" where appropriate.

Do not enable harm: We avoid step-by-step exploit details that materially increase risk.

Research & collection — Gather artifacts and evidence; record uncertainties.

Analysis & drafting — Weigh signals; state confidence levels.

Peer review — A second analyst/editor validates methods, claims, and citations.

Legal/security review (as needed) — Check privacy, defamation, and safety.

Publication — Clear summary, methods, indicators, mitigations, limitations.

Monitoring & updates — Track changes and update the record.

Timestamps: Every piece shows first published and last reviewed.

Changelog: Material updates include a short note describing what changed and why.

Corrections: Factual errors are corrected promptly and labeled as Corrections. Minor copy edits are not logged.

Editorial independence: Research conclusions are not for sale. We do not accept payment to alter ratings or remove content.

Product disclosures: We may reference Gridinsoft products when they are relevant to protection or remediation; this is disclosed in-line.

Affiliations: Any partnerships or compensations relevant to a piece are disclosed.

We may use AI tools to draft or translate text, but all research, claims, and conclusions are produced and reviewed by humans.

No AI output is published without human verification.

If you represent a site, company, or individual mentioned and believe there is an error, contact us with evidence.

We will review promptly and respond. For copyright matters, use our DMCA address below.

Corrections & reputation score questions: [email protected]

General inquiries: [email protected]