A method for administering a top-level domain by analyzing domain name registrations for requests for suspicious or malicious domain names. A request to register a domain name is received. The requested domain name's information may be stored in a registry database. The requested domain name may also be conditionally stored in the domain name system (DNS) zone. The requested domain name is compared to a list of botnet domain names stored in a watch list database. If the requested domain name corresponds to one of the botnet domain names, the requested domain name is prevented from being added to the DNS zone or is removed from the DNS zone, if it has already been stored there. The information regarding the requested domain name is stored in the registry database, even if the domain name does not ultimately stay in the DNS zone.