What is a DNS Firewall?

The domain name system (DNS) firewall blocks users from accessing dangerous websites. It also provides protection against sites that could be able to infect a network or computer with malware. Administrators can also make use of firewall settings to block websites that they do not want employees to visit.

In this regard the DNS firewall offers the same protections like a regular firewall, at least in regards to the websites it allows users to access.

What is DNS Firewalls? DNS Firewalls work?

A DNS firewall operates by filtering the data that flows through DNS endpoints. The filtering process examines all the traffic with specific rules and guidelines. If the firewall discovers that the request is in violation of one of these rules or policies the website request will be blocked.

A DNS firewall is automatically updated with the most recent DNS threat data, allowing it to safeguard you from recent and historical threats.

Imagine you have an DNS firewall to safeguard your network. The user receives a fraudulent email that appears convincing. The sender appears to be asking users to sign into their account at their bank to change their password and username as the security team of the bank is believed to have discovered that an intruder has accessed an inventory of usernames and passwords for clients of the bank.

The user clicks an attachment in the email which claims to bring them to their bank’s web page. If there isn’t an DNS firewall it is possible that the user will be capable of accessing the fake website that the hacker created to appear to be their bank’s site. However, if the fraudulent website is registered with the DNS firewall’s system, then the user will not be able to access the website.

This is among the biggest benefits of a firewall. Although the DNS firewall isn’t able to block all threats to your identity, it will lower the chances of an attacker being able to launch such attacks or any other cyber-attacks.

What is a DNS Firewall Help to Improve Business Security?

A DNS firewall can help address security concerns for business by offering businesses intelligence-based internet filtration services. It makes use of threat intelligence to block users from accessing the types of websites that could lead to:

Data exfiltration
Phishing, spear-phishing and whale-phishing attacks
Ransomware attacks
A variety of different malware

Your DNS firewall will constantly refresh itself with information regarding any new threats that may be that are on the horizon. This means that any threat that is based on websites registered in your DNS firewall’s system is eliminated before it has the chance to strike.

Challenges

There are some issues that arise when you implement some issues arise when implementing a DNS firewall, especially when you have to decide which websites to be blocked. If the DNS firewall settings are not enough they could hinder employees to access websites that they must visit to complete their work.

For instance, some businesses might use the DNS firewall in order to prevent access to social media websites. However, if the company that you do business through has an existing Facebook page for example, it could be useful information there that your employees could benefit from.

DNS Firewall vs Next-Generation Firewall

There are some major distinctions among DNS firewalls, as well as the next generation firewalls (NGFWs) in particular in how they detect threats as well as the types of threats they recognize.

What is the difference between an NGFW and DNS Firewall?

In deciding on which kind of firewall to select it’s crucial to comprehend how each functions.

A DNS firewall is designed to block the systems and users from having access to harmful websites that be a source of risks. It analyzes the DNS data from a request to the information it has already within its system. If it finds the presence of a security threat, the user’s computer isn’t allowed access to the website.

A NGFW will also be able to stop potentially harmful websites. But, one of the main ways that an NGFW protects itself from attacks is through deep packet filtering. This happens when the NGFW examines the header information as well as the contents of data packets that are trying to get past the firewall. When the NGFW detects an attack the packet is removed to protect your business from any attack.

It is possible to use both an NGFW and a DNS firewall. DNS firewall as well as an NGFW which is beneficial since they serve different tasks. If you must pick between the two, then you might be interested in the following advantages.

Be aware of the limitations in the use of NGFWs as well as DNS Firewalls

While an NGFW is able to inspect data packets however, it isn’t an DNS server. Thus it’s not a DNS server. NGFW cannot look at DNS requests or respond to find malware that utilizes DNS protocols.

However it is true that a DNS firewall port isn’t in a position to detect malware inside data transmissions. In the best case, it will only detect malicious websites which have been found to spread malware. Because the DNS firewall cannot directly identify malware, it’s ideal to use an NGFW.

An NGFW is also able to detect threats based on their actions like the source of their origin and the direction they’re trying to be in your network. A DNS firewall isn’t able to do these things since it only checks the DNS information of the requests as well as responses.

Utilizing Both the DNS Firewall and an Network Firewall Together

In certain way, DNS firewalls and NGFWs are alike in terms of name. They are both firewalls by blocking threats from trying to penetrate and leave your network. Additionally, they are able to be able to stop many of the similar types of threats, including ransomware, as well as other types of malware. However, that’s where the similarities end.

It is recommended to adopt an approach that is holistic when you are deciding the best option. A NGFW could be more flexible due to the fact that you can put it at different points within your network. This allows you to separate your network by using several NGFWs and create secure “walls” within each section. In the event that an insider is able to introduce a security danger, it won’t be able to relocate east-west into another part of your network, because the NGFW will be there to stop it. A DNS firewall isn’t able to be able to do this since it’s situated between your network as well as the rest of the internet.

Different types of threats blocked by DNS Firewalls

A DNS firewall will stop a variety of threats that originate from websites, such as:

Adware
Websites that are phishing
Spyware
Hijacked Internet Protocol (IP) addresses
Ransomware
Nameserver hosts that have a bad reputation
Computers that have botnets
Data exfiltration
Botnet hosts
Malware dropping sites
Bogon, or illegal IP addresses