Loading...
What is DNS Security?
DNS security, or DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions) refers to a combination of protocols and measures intended to secure the DNS infrastructure.
The DNS is an essential feature of the internet, and it functions as the intermediary between the domain names people type in their browsers and the IP addresses Internet-connected devices use to speak to one another.
Nonetheless, the original DNS protocol was introduced without any security considerations, and the system has been frequently targeted for various cyber-attacks, including DNS spoofing and cache poisoning.
These vulnerabilities are rectified in DNSSEC by adding digital signatures to DNS data and credentials, thus guaranteeing that the data received in response to a DNS query is original and has not been modified.
However, DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and DNS over TLS (DoT) encrypt DNS queries to promote DNS security.
The conventional DNS requests were sent in clear text, and as a result, their interception is easily possible by the attacker.
DoH implements privacy and security by encrypting DNS traffic, which helps avoid the interception of requests by intruders and maintains the confidentiality of user requests.
Why is DNS Security Important?
Preventing DNS Spoofing and Cache Poisoning
Traditional DNS is exposed to several attacks, including DNS spoofing and cache poisoning, where the attackers can change the DNS responses and, hence, direct the users to the wrong sites.
Secure DNS services like DNSSEC ensure that the DNS replies are not counterfeited and have not undergone any mutation; hence, they would not allow such attacks.
Ensuring Data Integrity and Authenticity
DNSSEC is an extension of DNS that adds digital signatures to the DNS data and checks the received data for the DNS servers’ integrity and legitimacy. This shields the attackers from modifying the DNS records and directs the users to the right and intended websites.
Enhancing Privacy
DoH and DoT secure the DNS process since they propose the usage of queries and response encryption, which makes it impossible to expose and intercept the queries unauthorizedly.
Also Read: What Is Data Encryption? [Comprehensive Guide]
This improves user confidentiality by preventing unwanted and unauthorized access to browsing patterns.
Safeguarding Critical Internet Infrastructure
DNS can be regarded as one of the essential elements of the Internet’s global architecture. This means that DNS security guarantees the stability of Internet services since the availability of DNS is crucial due to DNS attacks, which lead to disruption of Internet services, websites, and other online services resulting from DNS.
Building Trust and Confidence
It is often said that adopting this DNS security measure results in nurturing confidence amongst internet users.
When users are comfortable with being safe through the DNS queries and their browsing sessions, they are comfortable and can efficiently operate, transact, and use any online services.
How Does DNS Protection Work?
DNS protection adds layers between the users and the internet by preventing them from accessing dangerous sites and filtering unwanted content.
Secure DNS servers at home and work can be used to decrease the potential risks and stop the attacks from happening. It also shields the work computers and all the equipment connected to the establishment’s network.
Every DNS request is sent to a configured DNS resolver that takes a look at those requests. If the resolver finds out that the domain is malicious, it does not resolve the query and minimizes access to such risky sites.
This makes the browsing environments safer than they would be without such techniques to counter cyber threats.
What are Some Common DNS Attacks?
DNS Spoofing (Cache Poisoning)
DNS spoofing, also referred to as cache poisoning, is the act of intruders replacing legitimate DNS responses in the DNS cache of a resolver.
This makes the resolver provide the wrong IP address, redirecting the users to given websites and making them fall prey to hackers.
Recommended: Phishing Attacks Explained: How to Spot and Prevent Online Scams?
Thus, endangered consumers can accidentally access fake web pages where they can be exposed to phishing sites or bring computers infected with viruses.
This attack targets the DNS server’s optimism when receiving a response, thus resulting in significant security threats.
DNS Amplification Attack
DNS amplification is a type of attack in the Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) category where the attacker makes small queries with a fake IP address of the victim.
Essentially, the DNS server unleashes significant responses on the victim’s IP address that flood the network with much data. This is very risky as it leads to severe service interruption, and as a result, genuine users will not have access to the network resources.
The attack exploits the fact that DNS query requests must be significantly more significant than the responses to increase the traffic flooding the target.
DNS Tunneling
DNS tunneling is a technique used to convey forbidden items through looks like DNS forwarding to evade security mechanisms.
The attackers employ such a method to transfer data for malware’s C&C connection and bypass firewalls more often.
The DOS attack utilizes DNS traffic with web link planting to launch devastating attacks that are hard to detect due to the use of a legitimate protocol adopted in internet communication.
DNS Hijacking
DNS hijacking is a process in which the attackers change the DNS server that the target or the victim’s device requests by compromising the device’s DNS settings, usually the router.
These referrals can take them to fake websites, where they are at the mercy of the developers of phishing scams and malware, or have their data stolen from them.
Hijacking of DNS can be done in several ways, depending on the attacker, which may involve attacking the router, making changes to the local DNS settings, or installing malicious software that alters DNS settings.
Also Read: What It Doxxing? How It Happens, and How to Stay Safe?
NXDOMAIN Attack
In the NXDOMAIN attack, the given DNS server will be overloaded with irrelevant domain requests, forcing the server to spend more time processing non-existent requests.
This attack disrupts DNS service by denying or delaying genuine requests for DNS services with fake ones, thus paralyzing most of the requested services.
Since no legitimate DNS server would store information for the fake domain names it receives, attackers can flood the DNS server with simple queries referencing domain names that it will not have in its records. Hence, it cannot respond to legitimate user domain name queries.
Also Read: What is ARP Spoofing? Detect and Prevent ARP Cache Poisoning Attacks
5 DNS Protection Capabilities to Enhance Enterprise Security
Phishing and Malware Protection
Phishing and malware protection are essential features of DNS protection, which prevent users from visiting scams meant to obtain the user’s credentials or spread viruses.
Also Read: What Are Hidden Website Threats? How to Detect and Prevent Hidden Threats?
By using updated lists containing information about known phishing or malware sites, DNS protection can easily prevent their access by users while providing them with an appropriate website to view or posting a warning instead.
It was ensured that it could prevent users from falling prey to phishing scams and reduce the likelihood of malware operating inside the company’s network.
Botnet Protection
The best way to protect an enterprise from a botnet is to identify and prevent the interaction of infected devices within the network with their control servers (C&Cs).
DNS protection services monitor DNS queries to see the signs of botnet activity, such as multiple requests to the domains linked to malicious botnets.
With DNS protection, such communication is interrupted, thereby hindering botnets from inflicting their aggression, proliferating malware, or embezzling data, and, more importantly, protecting the enterprise from the much damage botnets are capable of.
Also Read: What is Domain Hijacking? Everything to Know About Domain Hijacking Attacks
Content Filtering
This enables enterprises to be able to regulate access to different categories of sites depending on the policy guidelines and legal framework.
The DNS protection services can also enable filtering out access to prohibited or unnecessary websites, and this may include: ‘adult contents,’ ‘gambling,’ and ‘social networking,’ which contributes to increasing productivity and adherence to the legislation.
Content filtering policies can be configured according to the organizational requirements to provide employees with relevant access to a particular resource that is useful for their work, while at the same time denying them access to websites that can pose a threat to their productivity or well-being.
Ad Blocking
DNS protection and ad blocking refer to a layer added to block advertisements from being displayed on websites that the users access.
To prevent browsing to various domains through which malvertising could deliver malware, this capability prevents DNS requests from being sent to domains known to serve ads.
Ad blocking additionally optimizes the user experience, as it cuts down the number of things that might interfere with the work of the site and makes it take longer to load, making the overall browsing environment for enterprise users safer and more efficient.
Also Read: RDoS Attacks Explained: Protecting Your Business from Ransom Threats
Typo Correction
Typo correction is a specific functionality of DNS protection that enables users to be redirected to the correct web addresses whenever they type in incorrect domain addresses.
If users input an incorrect URL in the browser bar, DNS protection services can correct regular mistakes and steer the users to the correct URLs.
This minimizes the probability of users ending up on unhelpful sites to deceive them, conduct typosquatting, and guarantees a user-friendly experience by taking them to safe websites they intended to visit.
Why is DNS Protection Important for Business Networks?
Preventing DNS-Based Attacks
DNS is a common point of attack, and frequently, business networks become victims of DNS spoofing, cache poisoning, and DNS hijacking.
These attacks can result in unauthorized redirection of users to other web pages, phishing pages, or servers controlled by intruders.
DNSSEC and DNS filtering alleviate these risks since DNSSEC assures DNS responses while DNS filtering prevents access to such domains.
Enhancing Security Posture
DNS protection enhances the general security of companies’ networks since it contributes to the formation of multiple protection barriers against cyber threats.
DNS firewalls, security appliances, and encryption protocols like DoH and DoT allow an organization to see and stop DNS threats in real time, thus preventing unauthorized access to or leakages of organizational information assets.
Also Read: Cyber Attack Recovery: 5 Crucial Steps to Bounce Back Swiftly
Ensuring Business Continuity
DNS helps people access essential online services and applications. DNS protection helps avoid DNS outages related to DDoS attacks, infrastructure problems, or misconfiguration.
Businesses can effectively reduce their downtime and productivity through reliable DNS servers while ensuring customer satisfaction and trust.
Protecting Data Privacy
DNS protection solutions such as DNS encryption (DoH and DoT) help to protect DNS queries and responses from being intercepted and monitored.
This shields individual access details, financial transactions, and other confidential data from exposure when transmitted through untrusted networks or even hotspots.
Compliance Requirements
Almost every business and the majority of legal regulations, including GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS, require data protection. DNS protection assists companies in meeting these regulations by protecting the DNS services and information.
Conclusion
Check out the possibilities of secure DNS browsing with comprehensive DNS protection. Protect your business network from the dangers of the digital age today. Certera offers a wide range cyber security and PKI solutions to secure your digital presence.
