Domain Name System

Overview#

Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical decentralized Discovery Mechanism or Name Service for Devices, services, or other resources connected to the Internet or a private network.

Domain Name System associates various information with domain names assigned to each of the participating entities. Most prominently, it translates more readily memorized domain names to the numerical IP addresses needed for locating and identifying computer services and devices with the underlying network protocols. By providing a worldwide, distributed Directory Service, the Domain Name System is an essential component of the functionality on the Internet, that has been in use since 1985.

Some common items related to Domain Name System:

Domain Name System Privacy Considerations#

DNS Privacy Considerations (RFC 7626) describes the privacy issues associated with the use of the Domain Name System by Internet users.

Security Considerations#

Unencrypted DNS queries may be intercepted or manipulated without End-User's knowledge. An eavesdropper—e.g., the owner of a Wi-Fi router or party in the ISP infrastructure—can see where users seek to browse, even if the content delivered from the website data is encrypted. DNS queries can also be hijacked to divert a user to a Malicious Endpoint (website) instead of the intended website.

In 2019, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued its first emergency directive to United States Federal Agencies in response to a DNS hijacking campaign.

Category#

Domain Name System (DNS)

More Information#

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