Most Internet users use domain names to indicate the website they want to visit. These domain names are easily navigable addresses translated into Internet Protocol (IP) addresses by the Domain Name System (DNS), which computers and other network infrastructure elements use to identify various Internet-connected devices. Basically, the Domain Name System is the protocol that permits the use of domain names, making the Internet functional.
Let’s find out more about DNS, explaining what it is, how it works, and how upgrading to DNS-layer security can improve network security.
What is DNS Security?
DNS security is the process of defending DNS infrastructure from cyberattacks to maintain its dependability and speed. Using security protocols such as DNSSEC, enforcing strict DNS logging, and setting up redundant DNS servers are just a few overlapping barriers that make up a successful DNS security approach.
What makes DNS Security Crucial?
Like many other Internet protocols, the DNS system has several architectural flaws and was not created with security in mind. These restrictions and technological advancements open DNS servers to attacks, such as spoofing, amplification, DoS (Denial of Service), and acquiring confidential personal data. Moreover, DNS might be a potential target for assaults because it is necessary for most Internet queries.
Furthermore, DNS attacks are commonly used with other intrusions to divert attention away from the real target for security teams. To avoid being overburdened with simultaneous attacks via different routes, an organization must be able to counteract DNS attacks promptly.
What is a DNS Firewall
A DNS firewall is a technology that can provide several security and performance features for DNS servers. A DNS firewall exists between a user’s recursive resolver and the authoritative nameserver of the website or service they are trying to visit. The firewall can provide rate-limiting services to shut down attackers trying to overrun the server. Suppose the server encounters downtime due to an attack or other cause. In that case, the DNS firewall can keep the operator’s site or service online by providing DNS replies from the cache.
In addition to its security advantages, a DNS firewall can provide performance solutions such as faster DNS lookups and decreased bandwidth costs for the DNS operator. Find out more about DNS firewalls from Cloudflare.
Some Common DNS Attacks
There are several methods by which attackers can target and take advantage of DNS servers. The following are a few of the most typical DNS attacks:
#1. DNS Spoofing/ Cache Poisoning
It is an attack in which a DNS resolver’s cache is injected with falsified DNS data, causing the resolver to report an erroneous IP address for a domain. Traffic can be redirected from the intended website to a malicious machine or any other location the attacker chooses; frequently, this duplicates the original site used for nefarious activities like downloading malware or gathering login credentials.
#2. DNS Tunneling
This attack passes DNS queries and answers through other protocols. Most firewalls cannot identify malware or stolen data that attackers can include in DNS queries using SSH, TCP, or HTTP.
#3. DNS Hijacking
This attack method uses a separate domain name server to reroute queries. Malware or the unauthorized alteration of a DNS server can be used for this. This attack is distinct from DNS spoofing, even if the outcome is similar, because it attacks the website’s DNS record on the nameserver rather than a resolver’s cache.
#4. NXDOMAIN Attack
To disrupt legitimate traffic, an attacker floods a DNS server with requests for records that do not exist. This is a DNS flood attack. Sophisticated attack tools that can automatically create distinct subdomains for every request can be used to achieve this. Recursive resolvers are also susceptible to NXDOMAIN attacks, which aim to overload their cache with pointless queries.
#5. Attack Using a Phantom Domain
The outcome of an NXDOMAIN attack on a DNS resolver is comparable to that of a phantom domain attack. The attacker puts up several “phantom” domain servers, and they either never reply to requests or do so very slowly. After that, the resolver receives an overwhelming volume of requests for these domains, which causes it to become overloaded and cause denial-of-service and sluggish performance.
#6. Attack Using Random Subdomains
In this instance, the attacker sends DNS queries for many randomly selected, fictitious subdomains of a single, authentic website. A denial-of-service attack is intended to prevent website lookups from the authoritative nameserver for the domain. The attacker’s ISP may also be affected due to the malicious requests filling their recursive resolver’s cache.
Attackers set up a domain lock-up attack by setting up unique domains and resolvers to connect TCP with other trusted resolvers. These domains use up many resolver resources by sending slow streams of random packets in response to queries from targeted resolvers.
#7. Botnet-Based CPE Assaults
These attacks involve CPE devices (customer premises equipment or hardware that service providers lend to clients; examples include modems, routers, cable boxes, and other items). When the attackers compromise the CPEs, the devices join a botnet to launch sporadic subdomain attacks against a single website or domain.
The Importance of DNS Security
The DNS protocol needs to be updated and designed with integrated security. To assist secure DNS, several solutions have been created, such as:
#1. Reputation Filtering
Like any other Internet user, most malware must send DNS requests to obtain the IP addresses of the websites it is accessing. Companies can reroute or prohibit DNS requests to known harmful domains.
#2. DNS Inspection
Next-generation firewalls (NGFW) that use threat intelligence powered by AI Deep Learning engines may also detect and prevent in real-time the usage of DNS for data exfiltration via DNS tunneling or security evasion utilizing Domain Generation Algorithms. This aids in blocking even highly skilled malware that employs DNS for additional assaults and malware command and control (C2) connections.
#3. Lock down the Protocol
DNSSEC is a protocol that entails DNS response authentication. Attackers cannot redirect visitors to malicious websites via DNS since the authenticated answer is unchangeable and cannot be falsified.
#4. Protect the Channel
Adding a secure layer to an unsafe protocol uses DNS over TLS (DoT) and DNS over HTTPS (DoH). Unlike regular DNS, this guarantees that the requests are verified and encrypted. A user can protect the privacy of DNS answers and prevent other parties from listening in on their DNS requests (which disclose the websites they view) by utilizing DoH and DoT.
How DNS Security Aids in Cyberattack Prevention
Since DNS is the foundation for all internet activity, keeping an eye on DNS requests and the IP connections they subsequently establish can significantly improve network security. It is possible to increase network security, improve security visibility, and detect malicious activity and compromised systems more accurately and reliably by putting security mechanisms in place to flag unusual DNS activity.
To go even further, you can collaborate with a secure DNS provider to enable the usage of proprietary recursive DNS servers by networked PCs. Your vendor will configure these servers to recognize suspicious DNS activity and put security measures in place to prevent malicious DNS connections. Nothing prevents assaults at the DNS-layer level earlier. DNS is, after all, the initial step in establishing an Internet connection. The attack ends if a potentially harmful connection is prevented at the DNS layer.
Three advantages of utilizing DNS-based security are as follows:
#1. The Capacity to Stop Dangers Before They Get to You
Conventional security appliances and agents must wait until it enter the perimeter or an endpoint to identify or stop malware. Nonetheless, DNS security thwarts attacks before they reach your network or endpoints by enforcing security at the DNS layer.
DNS security automatically identifies attacker infrastructure set up for both present and emerging threats by analyzing and learning from internet behavior patterns. Our solution can stop requests to dangerous locations before a malicious file is downloaded, or a connection is made. Additionally, DNS security can prevent hacked systems from exfiltrating data over any port or protocol using command and control (C2) callbacks to the attacker’s botnet infrastructure.
Unlike appliances, our cloud security platform safeguards devices on and off the corporate network. In contrast to agents, the DNS-layer security provided by DNS security covers all network-connected devices, including Internet of Things devices. DNS security can be installed anywhere because all internet-connected devices use recursive DNS services.
#2. The Capacity to Harness Machine Learning’s Power
DNS security employs machine learning techniques to detect, locate, and even anticipate hostile domains. This DNS-layer security system can automatically see attacker infrastructure being set up for the next attack by learning from internet traffic patterns. After that, these domains are proactively blacklisted to safeguard your network from any future intrusion. We provide real-time analysis of gigabytes of data from all marketplaces, regions, and protocols. This diversity offers visibility throughout the internet into:
- Where are the sources of threats?
- Who’s initiating them?
- Where they refer to the extent of their prevalence
- When they were last seen and for the first time…and a lot more
To discover new patterns, we fuse human intellect with three-dimensional visual aids. Subsequently, we utilize statistical models to classify these patterns, identify existing and emerging dangers automatically, and detect anomalies.
#3. The Capacity to Strengthen Your Investigations and Incident Response
Cisco Umbrella logs all DNS activity, including malicious behavior, to make investigations easier. By thwarting threats at their earliest stage, our safe DNS solution also lowers the number of infections and notifications you receive from other protection solutions.
Threats such as malware, phishing, botnets, and others are contextualized in real-time via the DNS security Investigate dashboard and API. Faster incident investigation and reaction are made possible by this. Having more than 300 security researchers on staff is an incredible advantage of integrating.
Ways of Improving DNS Security
According to the 2022 Global DNS Threat Report, even though many firms recognize the significance of DNS security, the average time to neutralize assaults grew by 29 minutes, currently taking 6 hours and 7 minutes, with 24% requiring longer than 7 hours.
You must know alternate methods for improving DNS security to ensure you don’t become the next victim of dishonest gamers. The amount of lost time translates into lost income. Here are a few instances:
#1. Local DNS Backup
You may want to set up your dedicated backup DNS server to increase DNS security. While both Internet and managed DNS service providers are vulnerable to assault, having a backup plan is essential in case your vendor is targeted in advance. DNS outages or performance issues are more often caused by hardware or network difficulties.
#2. Zones of Response Policy
Response policy zones, or RPGs, are yet another way to improve DNS security. RPZ allows a nameserver administrator to overlay custom data on top of the global DNS to provide alternate answers to requests.
#3. IPA
IP address management in a business environment is made possible by Internet protocol address management (IPAM). It accomplishes this by making data related to the IP addressing space easier to organize, track, and modify.
DNS and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) are the network services that resolve IP numbers in a TCP/IP paradigm and assign them to machines. IPAM will link these services together so that one can be updated about changes made to the other. For instance, DNS will automatically update to reflect the IP address that a client chooses via DHCP.
#4. Automation of Security Tasks
One of the most essential methods for boosting DNS security is automation, which needs to be applied whenever and wherever feasible.
With automated solutions, you may gather vital security metrics, handle security-related problems automatically and in real-time, respond to possible security risks with enhanced threat information, and expedite the response to breach incidents. It can also reduce employees’ time on laborious cleanup procedures, boost worker productivity, expedite breach incident response, and support informed decision-making.
Network DNS Security
Especially given the recent shift toward remote or hybrid work that we’ve experienced, you must consider the advent of BYOD and IoT regarding network DNS security and explicitly specify how you select who and what connects to your online network perimeter.
#1. BYoD Growth
The term “bring your device” (BYOD) policy describes the procedure wherein workers use their devices to access company networks and carry out regular duties.
The advantages of Bring Your Device (BYOD) include lower costs, more productivity, and happier employees. However, some drawbacks should not be overlooked, such as increased security risks, potential privacy loss, a shortage of devices, and the requirement for a more sophisticated IT support system.
The most significant risks associated with a Bring Your Device (BYOD) policy include data cross-contamination, inadequate security and management, device infection and unsecured use, security lapses and GDPR issues, hidden applications, hacking, and targeted attacks, phishing, adware, spyware, activity monitoring software, insufficient policies, and last but not least, human error and combining work and play.
#2. IoT Growth
Internet of Things (IoT) objects are physical objects with sensors, software, and other embedded technologies that allow them to communicate and share data with other systems and devices over the Internet.
The Internet of Things (IoT) has emerged as a result of a staggering array of factors, including easy connectivity and data transfer, inexpensive and low-power sensor technology available, increased availability of cloud platforms, machine learning and analytics advancements coupled with the massive amounts of data stored in the cloud, and the emergence of conversational AI.
How can I secure my DNS?
- Launch Chrome.
- Tap More. Settings in the upper right corner.
- Select Security under “Privacy and security.”
- Activate/deactivate Use Secure DNS.
- Pick your present service provider or a custom service provider from the drop-down option.
How to prevent a DNS leak?
Setting up a VPN to solely connect to its own DNS servers will fix a conventional DNS leak. This will prevent a computer from connecting to the user’s ISP and require it only to utilize the DNS servers of the VPN.
How safe is private DNS?
Your DNS requests stay private, secure, and quick when you have private DNS enabled since your ISP does not keep or examine them. However it’s important to remember that you must select a reliable private DNS provider to protect your data from harmful threats.
Conclusion
Network attacks are increasingly targeting the DNS. Since DNS is one of the most venerable and widely used protocols on the Internet, it is a prime target for attackers because nearly all other services and protocols use it. Since it is one of the most used protocols, implementing a firewall rule won’t be enough to prevent attacks. Before talking about how to thwart these attacks, it is helpful to understand how they operate.
DNS attacks generally fall into two categories: “reds” and “whites,” much like wine. Authoritative assaults and Caching Recursive attacks are the two main categories of DNS attacks. DDoS assaults, amplification attacks, and reflection attacks are traditional attacks. Attacks that recursively cache data, like DNS hijacking and cache poisoning. Similar to wine, there are also certain anomalies, including DNS tunneling assaults. But the majority of DNS assaults are either Caching Recursive or Authoritative.
References
