Top 5 DNS Attacks and How to Prevent Them
Desmond DNS attacks are one of the most common and disruptive threats to online businesses and users alike. Since the Domain Name System (DNS) acts as the “phonebook of the internet,” translating domain names into IP addresses, any compromise can lead to downtime, data theft, or loss of customer trust. Understanding how these attacks work is the first step toward defending against them.
DNS Attacks Explained
Before we dive into the specific types, let’s quickly explain what DNS attacks actually are. In simple terms, a DNS attack is any malicious activity that exploits vulnerabilities in the DNS infrastructure. Because DNS sits at the core of how the internet functions, attackers can manipulate it to redirect traffic, steal sensitive data, or bring services offline. These attacks target DNS servers, resolvers, or the communication between them, making them both powerful and difficult to detect without proper monitoring and protection.
Top 5 DNS attacks
Let’s explore which are the five most common attacks and explain a little bit more about each one of them:
- DNS Spoofing (Cache Poisoning)
DNS spoofing occurs when an attacker inserts false information into a DNS cache, causing users to be redirected to a fraudulent or malicious site. For example, instead of visiting your bank’s legitimate website, you could unknowingly land on a fake one designed to steal your credentials.
How to prevent it: Enable DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions) to verify the authenticity of DNS data. Also, use encrypted DNS protocols like DNS over HTTPS (DoH) or DNS over TLS (DoT) to prevent tampering.
- DNS Hijacking
With DNS hijacking, cybercriminals change DNS settings, either on your local device, router, or registrar account, to redirect traffic. This can lead users to phishing pages or malware-infected websites.
How to prevent it: Protect all DNS and domain registrar accounts with strong passwords and multi-factor authentication (MFA). Regularly review DNS configurations and enable registry locks to block unauthorized changes.
- DNS Amplification (DDoS Attack)
A DNS amplification attack is a form of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) that abuses open DNS resolvers to flood a target with massive amounts of traffic, making websites unreachable.
How to prevent it: Use a global Anycast DNS network with DDoS mitigation, rate limiting, and traffic filtering to absorb and deflect attack traffic.
- NXDOMAIN Attack
An NXDOMAIN attack overloads DNS servers with queries for domains that don’t exist, wasting system resources and potentially bringing down the resolver.
How to prevent it: Implement rate limiting and intelligent response caching to minimize the impact. Some managed DNS providers automatically filter out repetitive invalid queries.
- DNS Tunneling
In DNS tunneling, attackers encode data within DNS queries to secretly communicate with compromised systems or exfiltrate information, often bypassing traditional firewalls.
How to prevent it: Monitor for abnormal DNS traffic, such as unusual query sizes or request patterns. Deploy DNS security solutions that can detect and block tunneling attempts in real time.
Conclusion
DNS attacks can disrupt services, steal data, and damage your brand reputation, but they’re preventable with the right strategy. By securing your DNS with DNSSEC, using redundant DNS infrastructure, and maintaining continuous monitoring, you can protect your online presence from some of the most dangerous cyber threats.