It refers to the action of accessing a resource using a direct IP address instead of a domain name. Threat actors often use this technique to bypass DNS-based security controls and hide their infrastructure from reputation systems.
Three questions every analyst asks before acting on this signal.
It refers to the action of accessing a resource using a direct IP address instead of a domain name. Threat actors often use this technique to bypass DNS-based security controls and hide their infrastructure from reputation systems.
Because such connections may circumvent DNS inspection layers, security logging, or domain reputation checks. Attackers may host malicious payloads or command-and-control servers directly on IPs to avoid detection.
Examples include phishing links or malware download URLs pointing to numeric IPs (e.g., http://192.168.1.50/update.exe) instead of domain names. These are often used in targeted campaigns or when domains have been blacklisted.
A realistic shape of the entry the engine appends to the risk_signals array when this signal fires. Evidence keys are subgroup-default; per-signal overrides documented in the API reference.
{
"slug": "direct_connect_to_an_ip",
"name": "Direct Connection to an IP Address",
"group": "http_crawling_history",
"subgroup": "web_behavior_structure",
"direction": "malicious",
"evidence": {
"url_shortener_chain": false,
"auto_refresh_seconds": null,
"direct_ip_link": false,
"browser_interaction_required": true
}
}7 other signals share the same subgroup. They detect related behaviors and often co-fire on the same IOC.
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