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Web Protection and Filtering

Web Protection / DNS Filtering

In today’s society, web protection and DNS filtering is necessary to keep your website secure. DNS stands for “Domain Name Services” and is used to translate domain names to IP addresses so browsers can load Internet resources. Every time you visit a website, the browser sends a request to a specific server. This server either redirects the request to another server or responds with an IP address. DNS filtering, or domain name system filtering (the title or full name) is a technique used to block access to a specific website, website or IP address. In DNS, as in 198.35.226.96, you can use a memorable domain name (such as Wikipedia.com) instead of having a problem storing IP addresses. DNS assigns an IP address to the domain name. When a domain is obtained from the domain registry and hosted, it is assigned a unique IP address that can be used to identify that site. When trying to access the website, the DNS query is executed. The DNS server looks up the IP address of the domain / web page. You can use it to establish a connection between the browser and the server hosting the website. The site will be loaded.

How DNS Filtering Works

Using DNS filtering, if the DNS server does not return an IP address but a Website exists, the request is subject to some control. If you know that a web page or a specific IP address is malicious, access requests to that site will be blocked. Instead of connecting to the website, the user is directed to the local IP address. This will display a block page indicating that you cannot access the site. The DNS control can be applied at the router level by an IT Service Provider, the ISP or a third party (provider of Web filtering service). In the latter case, for example, the user directs the DNS to the service provider. Service providers manage blacklists of malicious Web pages / IP addresses. If you know that the site is malicious, block access to malicious sites. Since service providers also categorize web pages, DNS filters can also be used to block access to web pages in certain categories. An acceptable use policy (AUP) will be applied whenever the company believes that pornography, child pornography, file exchange sites, gaming and betting sites have been accessed. Due to the speed of DNS filtering, there is little delay in accessing secure Web sites that do not violate the organization’s acceptable Internet usage policies.

Will a DNS Filter Block All Malicious Websites?

Unfortunately, no DNS filtering clarification blocks all malicious websites. To do this, you first need to determine that the page is harmful. For example, if a cybercriminal has configured a new phishing page, there will be a delay between the creation of the page, its review, and its addition to the blacklist. However, the DNS Web Filter blocks most malicious websites.
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Website Security and DNS Filtering

Can DNS Filtering Be Bypassed?

The short answer is yes. Proxy and anonymous sites can be used to block traffic and avoid DNS filtering, provided the selected solution does not anonymously block access to those sites. If not turned off, end users can also change their DNS settings manually. Some people may be able to find ways to avoid DNS filtering. However, for most end users, the DNS filter blocks any attempts to access prohibited or harmful website content. With a single web security solution, you can block 100% of harmful websites or all “Not Safe For Work” (NSFW) websites. However, DNS filtering should undoubtedly be part of your web protection and network security defense, as most malicious websites and malware can be blocked.

Common Attacks Involving DNS

In addition to DNS being an integral part of most Internet requests, such lack of acceptance and other potential security vulnerabilities make DNS an important target for malicious attacks. Attackers have found many ways to find and use a DNS server. The following are specific examples of the common methods:

DNS Spoofing / Caching Destroying:

This is an attack that inserts spoofed or fake DNS data into the DNS resolver cache. This causes the solution to return the wrong IP address for the domain. Instead of accessing the correct website, you can redirect the traffic to a malicious computer or another location in the attacker. Usually this is a copy of the original website used for malicious purposes. For example, distributing malware or collecting credentials.

DNS Tunnel:

This attack sends DNS queries and responses using other protocols. By using SSH, TCP, or HTTP, an attacker can spread malware or stolen information with DNS queries that are not recognized by most firewalls.

DNS Hijacking:

Through DNS hijacking, an attacker redirects a query to another domain name server. This can be done by malicious modification of the malware or DNS server. The result is like DNS spoofing, but this is a fundamentally different attack because the site’s DNS records are sent to the name server instead of the resolver’s cache.

DNS Firewall

The DNS firewall is a web protection tool that provides various security and performance services for DNS servers. The DNS security server is located between the user’s iterative resolution and the official name server of the website or service you are visiting. The firewall can provide rate limiting services to disable intruders trying to overload the server. In the event of a server downtime due to an attack or other cause, the DNS firewall can manage the site or service provider by providing a DNS response from the cache. In addition to security features, the DNS Security Management Server provides the following solutions to improve performance.

DNS Security

The DNS resolver can also be configured to provide a security solution to its end users (people on the network). Some DNS solvers block content sites that are known to spread malware and spam, content filtering to block botnet protection from blocking communication with known botnets, etc. Many of these secure DNS solvers are free and users can switch to one of these recursive DNS services by changing one configuration on the local router.

Importance of DNS in Security

Due to its key functions on the Internet and in the company, DNS is the main goal of hackers. So, it should be safe. An effective security policy requires not only blocking malicious requests, but also fulfilling good requests. DNS plays an important role in a multi-layered network security strategy that requires several methods to protect the network. This multi-layered approach reduces the likelihood of a successful hack.

Benefits of a DNS Filter

Time-based DNS filtering controls are especially useful if your company has bandwidth issues. By configuring filtering parameters to block access to video transmission sites and applications that require online bandwidth, organizations waste bandwidth or lose access to the Internet or email due to lack of bandwidth. Retailers can use DNS filters to provide their customers with protected Wi-Fi services. Free Wi-Fi service is a good marketing tool when consumers make online decisions. However, if the client’s device is affected by malware, or because the organization provides unprotected Wi-Fi services, the offensive content will affect the client. Blue Ridge Technology helps businesses avoid the stress involved in keeping their website secure. With our  web protection solutions, you can greatly avoid becoming prey to inappropriate or malicious sites while increasing the productivity of your business. Contact Blue Ridge Technology, Inc. for more information on website security how we can keep your website secure at 828.490.1772 or visit us at www.blueridge.tech.