Skip to main content

Is fosstodon.org a Scam? Security Check Results - Fosstodon Reviews

fosstodon.org favicon

Is fosstodon.org Safe? Security Analysis for Fosstodon

Check if fosstodon.org is a scam or legitimate. Free security scan and reviews.

TechnologyIcelandsmall
Mastodon 4.4.3Ruby on RailsReactWebpackCloudns.net DNS
Analyzed 9/5/2025Completed 6:30:19 AM
68
Security Score
MEDIUM RISK

AI Summary

Fosstodon.org operates as a niche, invite-only Mastodon instance catering to technology enthusiasts, particularly those interested in free and open source software. The platform provides a community-focused social networking service leveraging the Mastodon software stack. The website demonstrates a consistent brand identity and offers a clear description of its purpose and audience. Technically, it employs modern web technologies including React and Webpack, with enforced HTTPS and subresource integrity for enhanced security. However, some compliance aspects such as cookie consent and terms of service are missing or minimal. Security posture is solid with no evident vulnerabilities, but DNSSEC is not enabled, which could be improved. Overall, Fosstodon.org presents as a trustworthy, small-scale community platform with room for enhanced privacy and compliance features.

Detected Technologies

Mastodon 4.4.3Ruby on RailsReactWebpackCloudns.net DNS

🧠AI Business Intelligence

Technology stack, business insights, and market analysis powered by AI.

Business Intelligence

Market & Strategic Analysis

Fosstodon.org holds a specialized market position as a Mastodon instance focused on the FOSS community, operating since 2017. Its invite-only model suggests a controlled growth strategy targeting engaged users. The absence of advertising and tracking indicates a privacy-conscious approach. The platform's reliance on open source technologies aligns with its community ethos. While no direct revenue model is evident, the service likely operates on community support or donations. The website links to various external authoritative domains, reinforcing its integration within the broader tech and open source ecosystem. The lack of explicit contact details and formal policies may limit broader commercial partnerships but suits its community-driven nature.

Extracted Contact Information

Marketing Intelligence Data

Email Addresses (18)

a*****@lists.archlinux.org
l*****@med-mastodon.comThe
a*****@mastodon.world
s*****@hachyderm.ioSquooshALTHide
a*****@mastodon.social
+13 more emails found

Security Posture Analysis

Comprehensive Security Assessment

The website enforces HTTPS with a good SSL configuration and uses subresource integrity for scripts and stylesheets, indicating attention to content security. Security headers appear to be implemented, though explicit header details are not fully enumerated. The domain is privacy protected, which is justified given the community nature of the service. No exposed sensitive data or vulnerable libraries were detected in the analysis. However, the absence of a published security policy or incident response contacts is a gap. DNSSEC is not enabled, representing a potential DNS security improvement. Overall, the security posture is solid for a community platform but could benefit from formalized security documentation and DNS enhancements.

Strategic Recommendations

Priority Actions for Security Improvement

1

Enable DNSSEC to enhance DNS security and prevent spoofing.

Observations

AI-powered comprehensive website and business analysis.

AI-Enhanced Website Analysis

Business Insights

Company:

Fosstodon

Description:

Fosstodon is an invite only Mastodon instance that is open to those who are interested in technology; particularly free & open source software. If you wish to join, contact us for an invite.

Key Services:
Mastodon social networkingcommunity hosting
Content Quality:

good

Branding:

consistent

Technical Stack

Technologies:
Mastodon 4.4.3Ruby on RailsReactWebpackCloudns.net DNS
Frameworks:
Mastodon
Platforms:
Web
Performance:

moderate

Mobile:

good

Accessibility:

basic

SEO:

basic

Security Assessment

Security Score:
80/100
Best Practices:
  • HTTPS enforced
  • Subresource integrity on CSS/JS
  • Client transfer prohibited domain status

Analytics & Tracking

Tracking Level:minimal
Privacy Compliance:basic

Advertising & Marketing

Transparency Level:poor

Website Quality Assessment

Design Quality:good
User Experience:good
Content Relevance:good
Navigation Clarity:good
Professionalism:good
Trustworthiness:high

Key Observations

1

Website is an invite-only Mastodon instance focused on free and open source software enthusiasts.

🛡️Security Headers

HTTP security headers analysis and recommendations.

Security Headers

HTTP security headers analysis

75/100
Score

Weak Strict-Transport-Security configuration

LOW

Current value: "max-age=300"

Weak X-XSS-Protection configuration

LOW

Current value: "0"

Missing Permissions-Policy header

MEDIUM

Controls browser features and APIs

Sensitive data may be cached

LOW

Cache-Control header should include "no-store" for sensitive pages

👤GDPR Compliance

Privacy and data protection assessment under GDPR regulations.

GDPR Compliance

Privacy and data protection assessment

58/100
Score

No Cookie Policy found

HIGH

GDPR requires clear information about cookie usage

No Cookie Consent Banner found

HIGH

GDPR requires explicit consent for non-essential cookies

Privacy policy may not be GDPR compliant

MEDIUM

Privacy policy lacks explicit GDPR compliance elements

GDPR Compliance Analysis

Privacy Policy85% confidence
Cookie Policy0% confidence
Contact Information Found90% confidence
emailphone

🛡️NIS2 Compliance

Network & Information Security Directive compliance assessment.

NIS2 Compliance

Network & Information Security Directive

17/100
Score

No information security framework found

HIGH

NIS2 requires documented cybersecurity and information security measures

No vulnerability disclosure policy

MEDIUM

NIS2 encourages coordinated vulnerability disclosure

No security policy documentation found

HIGH

NIS2 requires documented cybersecurity governance and risk management

No incident response procedures found

HIGH

NIS2 requires documented incident response and business continuity plans

No business continuity planning found

MEDIUM

NIS2 emphasizes operational resilience and business continuity

No security contact information

HIGH

NIS2 requires clear incident reporting channels

No vulnerability reporting mechanism

MEDIUM

Clear vulnerability reporting supports coordinated disclosure

No NIS2 reference found

LOW

Consider explicitly mentioning NIS2 compliance efforts

📧Email Security

SPF, DKIM, and DMARC validation and email security assessment.

Email Security

SPF, DKIM, and DMARC validation

70/100
Score

DMARC not enforcing

MEDIUM

DMARC policy is set to "none"

No DMARC reporting

LOW

DMARC aggregate reports not configured

No BIMI Record

LOW

BIMI displays brand logos in email clients

No MTA-STS Policy

MEDIUM

MTA-STS enforces TLS for email delivery

No TLS-RPT Record

LOW

TLS-RPT provides reporting for email TLS issues

SPF
Sender Policy Framework
DKIM
DomainKeys Identified Mail
DMARC
Domain-based Message Authentication
MX Records
Mail Exchange Records
BIMI
Brand Indicators
MTA-STS
Mail Transfer Agent Security
TLS-RPT
TLS Reporting
DNSSEC
DNS Security
SPF Details
Record:
v=spf1 include:zoho.eu ~all
DNS Lookups:1/10
Policy:~all
DKIM Selectors Found
Selector:default(1296-bit rsa)
DMARC Details
Policy:none

🏆SSL/TLS Security

Certificate validity and encryption analysis.

SSL/TLS Security

Certificate validity and encryption analysis

72/100
Score

Weak Protocols Supported

HIGH

Server supports weak protocols: TLSv1.1

OCSP Stapling Not Enabled

LOW

OCSP stapling improves performance and privacy

Certificate Transparency Not Implemented

LOW

Certificate is not logged in Certificate Transparency logs

SSL Certificate Expires Within 90 Days

MEDIUM

SSL certificate expires in 57 days

Partial SSL/TLS Assessment

LOW

Completed 3 of 4 security checks due to time constraints

Protocol Support

TLSv1.3TLSv1.2TLSv1.1

OCSP Status

OCSP Stapling Disabled

📊DNS Health

DNS configuration and security assessment.

DNS Health

DNS configuration and security assessment

75/100
Score

DNSSEC Not Enabled

MEDIUM

DNSSEC is not configured for this domain

CAA Records Not Configured

LOW

Certificate Authority Authorization (CAA) records not found

Domain Delete Lock Not Enabled

LOW

Domain can be deleted without additional verification

DMARC Policy Set to None

LOW

DMARC is configured but not enforcing any policy

Domain Registration Details

Domain Age
8 years(mature)
Expiry Risk
none(1058 days)
Protection Level
basicDNSSEC OFF
Suspicious Indicators Detected
  • Privacy/proxy registration detected

DNS Records

A Records:151.101.67.52, 151.101.195.52, 151.101.3.52, 151.101.131.52
Name Servers:
dns41.cloudns.net
dns42.cloudns.net
dns43.cloudns.net
dns44.cloudns.net
MX Records:
10: mx.zoho.eu
30: mx3.zoho.eu
20: mx2.zoho.eu
SOA:Serial: 2025070603, TTL: 3600s

DNSSEC Status

DNSSEC Not Enabled

DNS Performance

Resolution Time:199ms

SPF Analysis

SPF Record:
v=spf1 include:zoho.eu ~all

Network Security

Port scanning and network exposure analysis.

Network Security

Port scanning and network exposure analysis

100/100
Score

Good Network Security Posture

LOW

No unnecessary services detected on common risky ports

🔧Technical Analysis

Detailed technical findings and analysis from AI assessment.

Technical Analysis

Comprehensive security assessment findings

Additional Findings

The website is built on Mastodon 4.4.3, utilizing modern frontend technologies such as React and Webpack with module preloading and subresource integrity. The site is mobile optimized and accessible with basic SEO meta tags including Open Graph for social sharing. Hosting appears to be supported by Cloudns.net for DNS, with content delivery via a dedicated CDN (cdn.fosstodon.org). Performance is moderate with no major issues detected. The site lacks cookie consent and some compliance-related pages, which could be addressed to improve regulatory adherence. No CMS beyond Mastodon is detected. The technical stack is appropriate for the service offered, with opportunities for DNS security improvements and enhanced privacy features.
Analyze Another Website