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Background for this topic.
DNS is the distributed naming system that translates domain names into IP addresses and other service records. Its security matters because an attacker who compromises a registrar account, authoritative DNS server, or resolver can redirect users to an attacker-controlled service, disrupt access, or interfere with email and software updates. Forged replies and cache poisoning can produce similar redirection when validation is absent. DNS traffic can also carry command-and-control instructions or encoded data, although unusual queries require investigation rather than being treated as proof of compromise.
DNSSEC allows validating resolvers to authenticate signed DNS data, reducing spoofing and cache-poisoning risk; it does not encrypt queries or guarantee availability. Protect registrar and DNS-administration accounts with strong authentication and least privilege, restrict recursion and zone transfers, patch DNS software, and use redundant authoritative infrastructure. Monitor record changes, resolver errors, query volumes, and patterns such as long, frequently changing subdomains to support detection of hijacking, outages, or DNS tunneling.
An analysis of trillions of DNS requests show a shocking amount of malicious traffic inside enterprise networks, with the stalwart malware Emotet and the botnet QSnatch among the top threats.