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Shadowserver Foundation Inc

EIN 26-2267933 · Pleasanton, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak34 out of 100GovernanceFair60 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It owes more than it owns.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

SEE SCHEDULE OSHADOWSERVER'S MISSION IS TO MAKE THE INTERNET MORE SECURE BY BRINGING TO LIGHT VULNERABILITIES, MALICIOUS ACTIVITY AND EMERGING THREATS. SINCE 2004, SHADOWSERVER HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING MALICIOUS INTERNET ACTIVITY, COLLECTING MALWARE WITH ITS RELATED ANALYSIS AND META DATA, WORKING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES, AND SHARING INFECTION AND MALICIOUS DATA WITH APPROPRIATE NETWORK OWNERS. SHADOWSERVER ALSO PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS WORLDWIDE WHILE ENCOURAGING THE OPEN SHARING OF DATA WITHIN THE SECURITY INDUSTRY AND WITH VENDOR AND GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS. SHADOWSERVER HAS EMERGED AS ONE OF THE WORLD'S LEADING RESOURCES FOR INTERNET SECURITY REPORTING AND MALICIOUS ACTIVITY INVESTIGATION AND MAINTAINS A GLOBAL INFRASTRUCTURE SPANNING 90 COUNTRIES. THE ORGANIZATION IS FUNDED FROM SPONSORSHIPS, GRANTS AND CHARITABLE DONATIONS.

Income
$4.1 million
Spending
$4.6 million
Spent on programs
74%
Reserves
-1.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 97%
Employees
6
Volunteers
2
Highest pay
$384,749, senior architect

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 34 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    0 of 20

    It owes 119% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 11% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 13% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    74% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 16% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    5 of 25

    2 of 4 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $3.0 million spent. SPECIAL PROJECTS: (1) LAW ENFORCEMENT SPECIAL PROJECTS TEAM - A TEAM OF PEOPLE AND THEIR EFFORTS TO PURSUE AND TAKE DOWN CYBER-CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURES. (2) REGISTRAR OF LAST RESORT, A SPECIAL PURPOSE DNS REGISTRAR FOR REGISTERING AND MANAGING MALICIOUS DOMAIN NAMES USED FOR MALWARE/BOTNET COMMAND AND CONTROL, PARTICULARLY HIGH-VOLUME DOMAIN GENERATION ALGORITHMS (DGAS). (3) THE SHADOWSERVER ALLIANCE. (4) THE SHADOWSERVER PUBLIC DASHBOARD. (5) OTHER
  2. $270,930 spent. BACKEND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: PROJECTS FOR MANAGEMENT, UPGRADES, AND EXPANSION OF THE SHADOWSERVER DATA CENTER AND RELATED EQUIPMENT TO INCLUDE DEVELOPMENT OF SUPPORTING TECHNOLOGIES FOR NEW AND EXISTING MISSIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF EXISTING DATA STORAGE AND QUERY SYSTEMS, AND CREATION OF DAILY REPORTS (THREAT INTELLIGENCE FEEDS) TO THE INTERNET DEFENDER COMMUNITY. INCLUDES MAINTENANCE OF THE PUBLIC SHADOWSERVER DASHBOARD.
  3. $143,517 spent. CORE DATA COLLECTION PROJECTS: (1) SINKHOLING, A PROJECT TO REDIRECT MALICIOUS TRAFFIC BY TAKING OVER MALICIOUS DOMAINS IN ORDER TO SEIZE OR DISRUPT BOTNETS AND WARN VICTIMS OF CYBERCRIME; (2) HONEYPOT/HONEYNET, A PROJECT TO DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN A WORLDWIDE SET OF EMULATED VULNERABLE SYSTEMS TO CAPTURE AND ANALYZE MALICIOUS INTERNET TRAFFIC; (3) MALWARE REPOSITORY, A PROJECT TO COLLECT MALWARE AT SCALE AND ANALYZE THE MALWARE, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES THE EXECUTION OF THE MALWARE IN SANDBOXES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Worth knowing.

    Status was revoked on May 15, 2018 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on May 15, 2018.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 2020.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.