The existence of DNSSEC itself is already a big benefit. Without it, the Domain Name System (DNS) infrastructure would be absolutely vulnerable. Yes! No matter it’s the keystone for the whole Internet to work as you know it, security was not considered in its original design.
The explanation for this lack is easy. The DNS was created in the 1980s, and at that time, the Internet was considerably smaller. Then the “network of networks” grew exponentially, and the lack of authentication was clearly a problem. The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) experts in charge of the protocol standards knew it and worked on a solution (the 1990s). That’s how DNSSEC Security Extensions got born.
DNSSEC – meaning
DNSSEC directly strengthens DNS authentication by using digital signatures based on public-key cryptography. What get cryptographically signed directly by the owner are the DNS data, not the DNS requests and answers.
When you enable DNSSEC, you add weight to the network that can produce a slight delay. Regular users won’t really realize it, but you should know it.
Now, let’s dive into the benefits of deploying DNSSEC!
DNSSEC benefits
DNSSEC adds security features to the DNS.
It supplies a pair of keys (public and private) to every DNS zone. The private key obviously is to be kept secret by the zone’s owner. With it, this owner can sign data in the zone and produce digital signatures over them. While the public key is published in the zone for public use. Recursive servers searching for data in a zone can use the public key for validating the data’s authenticity. If recursive servers validate the data’s digital signature, data are sent to the user who requested them. If the data signature is not validated, recursive servers will discard data, and an error message will be sent to the user.
It makes it possible to authenticate the data origin.
Through it, resolver servers can cryptographically verify data they receive really are coming from the zone that data packets indicate.
It provides data integrity protection.
This makes sure for recursive servers that data haven’t been altered in transit since the moment they were originally signed with the zone’s private key by the owner of the zone. This protects you against criminal operations. If an attacker gets to modify DNS records while they are in transit, the user will receive them, and that can lead her or him to a different and dangerous server controlled by the attacker.
It prevents DNS spoofing attacks.
When you deploy DNSSEC, you get the means to verify and be certain that data was originated in the authoritative name server (source) they state. This is vital to prevent the intrusion of fake servers.
How to protect against DNS poisoning?
It protects your customers and business.
DNSSEC ensures that your clients and visitors really receive the right DNS records, meaning DNS records free of risks like changes made by cybercriminals. This is not a minor benefit. It’s strategic for keeping trustability and clients’ loyalty.
It adds security to the Internet experience.
All the previous benefits lead to a collective one. Letting the Internet become a dangerous and zero trustable place is absolutely suicidal for millions of online businesses and organizations worldwide. By enabling DNSSEC, you add security to your own business and to the Internet itself.
Conclusion.
DNSSEC offers essential security benefits for your DNS. It’s a shield against dangerous cyber threats!
Besides, with the non-stop growth of cybercrime, making the Internet safer is a must and a shared responsibility. The more security protection, the better the Internet experience for everybody.
