We typically use the whois command to get information about domain names. whois can also get the organization information about the company that an IP address is registered to.
Every IP address is registered to an organization by an IP authority. You can find the list authorities here. When an organization requests and is allocated an IP address, typically in a block, they must supply information about their organization such as country, contact information and an abuse reporting email.
The IPv4 address of this server is 5.161.150.90. If we pass this to whois it returns the registration information about Hetzner, the company I rent this VM from.
whois also prints the same information for IPv6 addresses.
Some useful information here is the country, e.g.:
country: DE
And the abuse email address, e.g.:
abuse-mailbox: abuse@hetzner.com
You can email that abuse email if you receive some form of abuse such as port scanning from a source IP address.
The IP authorities require all the information provided by the organization that requests the IP address is genuine and working.
This is the registration information for the IP address 5.161.150.90:
whois 5.161.150.90
% This is the RIPE Database query service.
% The objects are in RPSL format.
%
% The RIPE Database is subject to Terms and Conditions.
% See https://docs.db.ripe.net/terms-conditions.html
% Note: this output has been filtered.
% To receive output for a database update, use the "-B" flag.
% Information related to '5.161.150.0 - 5.161.150.255'
% Abuse contact for '5.161.150.0 - 5.161.150.255' is 'abuse@hetzner.com'
inetnum: 5.161.150.0 - 5.161.150.255
netname: CLOUD-ASH
country: US
status: ASSIGNED PA
org: ORG-HOA1-RIPE
admin-c: HOAC1-RIPE
tech-c: HOAC1-RIPE
mnt-by: HOS-GUN
remarks: INFRA-AW
created: 2023-12-12T11:30:10Z
last-modified: 2023-12-12T11:30:10Z
source: RIPE
organisation: ORG-HOA1-RIPE
org-name: Hetzner Online GmbH
country: DE
org-type: LIR
address: Industriestrasse 25
address: D-91710
address: Gunzenhausen
address: GERMANY
phone: +49 9831 5050
fax-no: +49 9831 5053
admin-c: MF1400-RIPE
admin-c: GM834-RIPE
admin-c: HOAC1-RIPE
admin-c: MH375-RIPE
admin-c: SK2374-RIPE
admin-c: SK8441-RIPE
abuse-c: HOAC1-RIPE
mnt-ref: RIPE-NCC-HM-MNT
mnt-ref: HOS-GUN
mnt-by: RIPE-NCC-HM-MNT
mnt-by: HOS-GUN
created: 2004-04-17T11:07:58Z
last-modified: 2022-11-22T18:32:44Z
source: RIPE # Filtered
role: Hetzner Online GmbH - Contact Role
address: Hetzner Online GmbH
address: Industriestrasse 25
address: D-91710 Gunzenhausen
address: Germany
phone: +49 9831 505-0
fax-no: +49 9831 505-3
abuse-mailbox: abuse@hetzner.com
remarks: *************************************************
remarks: * For spam/abuse/security issues please contact *
remarks: * abuse@hetzner.com, or fill out the form at *
remarks: * abuse.hetzner.com, thank you. *
remarks: *************************************************
remarks:
remarks: *************************************************
remarks: * Any questions on Peering please send to *
remarks: * peering@hetzner.com *
remarks: *************************************************
org: ORG-HOA1-RIPE
admin-c: MH375-RIPE
tech-c: GM834-RIPE
tech-c: SK2374-RIPE
tech-c: MF1400-RIPE
tech-c: SK8441-RIPE
tech-c: DD15478-RIPE
nic-hdl: HOAC1-RIPE
mnt-by: HOS-GUN
created: 2004-08-12T09:40:20Z
last-modified: 2022-11-22T18:33:55Z
source: RIPE # Filtered
% Information related to '5.161.0.0/16AS213230'
route: 5.161.0.0/16
org: ORG-HOA1-RIPE
descr: HETZNER-DC
origin: AS213230
mnt-by: HOS-GUN
created: 2021-03-30T09:16:08Z
last-modified: 2021-03-30T09:16:08Z
source: RIPE
organisation: ORG-HOA1-RIPE
org-name: Hetzner Online GmbH
country: DE
org-type: LIR
address: Industriestrasse 25
address: D-91710
address: Gunzenhausen
address: GERMANY
phone: +49 9831 5050
fax-no: +49 9831 5053
admin-c: MF1400-RIPE
admin-c: GM834-RIPE
admin-c: HOAC1-RIPE
admin-c: MH375-RIPE
admin-c: SK2374-RIPE
admin-c: SK8441-RIPE
abuse-c: HOAC1-RIPE
mnt-ref: RIPE-NCC-HM-MNT
mnt-ref: HOS-GUN
mnt-by: RIPE-NCC-HM-MNT
mnt-by: HOS-GUN
created: 2004-04-17T11:07:58Z
last-modified: 2022-11-22T18:32:44Z
source: RIPE # Filtered
% This query was served by the RIPE Database Query Service version 1.116 (BUSA)