DNS stands for Domain Name System. From a technical perspective, DNS is a method for cataloging servers’ IP addresses along with their corresponding URLs.
For humans, it is a system designed to make it easier for humans to remember website addresses in a readable format. Know that computers work via IP addresses. They do not directly read a website URL and open it. In fact, every website has an IP address assigned to it.
Remembering that IP address for a human is not that easy. That is where DNS helps by translating domains into IP addresses.
But there is one problem with the DNS setup. You need to be very careful; a single misconfiguration can cause serious security issues. Hackers can exploit misconfigurations for malicious purposes.
Why is DNS Security too Important?
DNS was developed in 1983 by Paul Mockapetris in the early days of the internet. At that time, the focus was only on mapping readable domain names to corresponding IP addresses. Cybersecurity was not taken into consideration during the early days of invention.
Over time, the tech world began to observe DNS security issues. And the main problem with DNS security issues was that they could neither be blocked nor monitored very easily.
Thanks to advancements in technology, there are now various tools available that help minimize the risk associated with DNS security issues. With a DNS record checker, one can today easily monitor DNS records and spot misconfigurations.
Benefits of Securing DNS Setup
Having a secure DNS setup brings many benefits. It protects websites against malware injection and phishing attacks. Here are some of the notable advantages of securing DNS setup.
1. Botnet protection
The rapid increase in IoT devices has posed a significant security threat. Such devices are always at risk of being hacked. But those attacks can easily be neutralized by linking bot servers (botnets) with a secured DNS setup.
FYI, IoT devices usually operate on bot servers.
2. Phishing and malware protection
A secure DNS setup protects your network by blocking dangerous websites. Those who are being reported for malicious activities, such as conducting phishing attacks or injecting malware.
Using an IP blacklist checker, you can check whether a website is involved in malicious activity and is blacklisted in DNSBL or other databases.
If you find one blacklisted, you can simply block its access to your network via DNS settings.
3. Quick Lookups
Many people experience slow DNS lookup times and ask how to fix them. One simple fix is to switch to a secure DNS server instead of the ISP-configured default, which can improve lookup speeds. When you switch to a secure DNS server like Cloudflare, the website loads faster in the long run.
Common DNS Security Issues
DNS can face many security problems. Some attacks send people to fake websites. Others slow down the network or steal data.
Here are five common DNS security issues.
1. DNS Poisoning
DNS poisoning, also called DNS spoofing, is an attack in which hackers manipulate a website’s DNS records by exploiting vulnerabilities. They insert false records in the DNS setup, which then send users to a fake website that looks like the real one.
People may think of it as the real website and enter their login details or other sensitive information without realizing it. And once users enter information, it straightaway goes into the hands of hackers.
2. DNS Tunneling
DNS tunneling lets hackers send data through DNS requests. They use it to steal data or control infected devices. This attack is hard to spot because DNS traffic looks normal.
3. NXDOMAIN
NXDOMAIN means the domain does not exist. Hackers can send many fake domain requests to a DNS server. This puts an extra load on the server and may slow it down.
4. DNS Hijacking
DNS hijacking happens when someone gains unauthorized access to your DNS settings and then changes them without permission. It also leads users to open fake websites instead of real ones. This can lead to scams, malware, or stolen information.
5. DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) Attack
A DDoS attack sends a huge number of requests to a DNS server. The server cannot handle them all. Because of this, websites slow down or might stop working for a while.
Final Talk
DNS helps people open websites with easy-to-read names instead of IP addresses. That is why keeping DNS safe is very important. A secure DNS setup helps stop many online attacks and keeps your website running well. Check your DNS records from time to time and fix any problems as soon as you find them.
