DNS (Domain Name System) is a system that converts user-friendly domain names (like example.com) into computer-readable IP addresses (like 192.0.2.1). It’s like the internet’s phonebook, ensuring you reach the right destination when browsing or accessing services online.
However, DNS can also be vulnerable to various attacks. Some common DNS attacks include:
- DNS Spoofing or DNS Cache Poisoning: Attackers trick a DNS resolver into caching incorrect information, directing users to malicious websites when they try to access legitimate ones.
- DNS Amplification: Attackers exploit misconfigured DNS servers to amplify a small DNS query into a large response, overwhelming the target with traffic in a DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack.
- DNS Hijacking: Attackers modify DNS settings to redirect users to malicious websites or servers, often through malware or unauthorized changes to DNS configurations.
- DNS Tunneling: Attackers use DNS requests and responses to bypass network security measures and exfiltrate data or establish covert communication channels.
- DNS Flood: Similar to a DDoS attack, where the attacker floods the DNS server with a high volume of requests, disrupting its normal operation and potentially causing denial of service.
- DDoS, or Distributed Denial of Service: Is a cyberattack where multiple compromised computers flood a target system or network with excessive traffic, causing it to become overwhelmed and unavailable to legitimate users.
- Domain spoofing: A type of cyber attack where an attacker falsifies or imitates the sender’s domain in email headers to make it appear as if the email is coming from a legitimate source when it’s actually not.