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What’s a DNS attack? Five Types of DNS Attacks

What is a dns attack? This post will show you in detail what is a dns attack and what are the different five kinds of dns attacks.

What’s a DNS attack? Five Types of DNS Attacks

A fundamental method of communication is DNS.

It matches IP addresses with domains entered by the user.

This method is used by DNS assaults to carry out harmful operations.

For instance, threat actors can break network connectivity and gain remote access to a target server by using DNS tunnelling techniques. Threat actors may utilise further DNS attacks to bring down systems, steal information, direct visitors to phoney websites, and launch Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) operations. This document is a part of a sizable collection of guides regarding cybersecurity.

What is DNS?

A domain name, such as website.com, is converted into an IP address, such as 208.38.05.149, using the domain name system (DNS) protocol.

When users enter the domain name website.com into a browser, a DNS resolver (an operating system application) looks up the website.com IP address. The process is as follows:

In order to find a DNS server that has the correct IP address or an authoritative DNS server that holds the canonical mapping of the domain name to its IP address, the DNS resolver first searches its local cache for the IP address before querying a DNS server. Once the resolver locates the IP address, it returns it to the requesting programme and performs any necessary calculations.

Why perform an attack on the DNS?

An essential component of both the IP network and the internet is DNS. This indicates that the majority of exchanges need DNS. A DNS resolution typically signals the start of communication. The majority of programmes lose functionality if the resolution service is down.

Bypassing the protocol’s standard function or utilising bug exploits and flaws, attackers frequently attempt to block the DNS service. All security technologies allow DNS with little examination of the protocol or usage. This could pave the way for underground communications attacks like tunnelling and data exfiltration.

What are the Five major DNS Attack Types?

The following are a few DNS attack methods.

1.DNS Tunneling

Encoding data from other applications or protocols within DNS requests and responses is known as DNS tunnelling. Typically, it contains payloads of data that can commandeer a DNS server and give attackers control over the remote server and its applications.

DNS tunnelling frequently relies on a hacked system’s external network connectivity as a backdoor into an internal DNS server with network access. Controlling a server and a domain, which serves as an authoritative server and performs server-side tunnelling and data payload executable programmes, is also necessary.

2.DNS Amplitudent

Attacks that use DNS amplification cause a server to experience Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS). In order to deluge a target with DNS answer traffic, this includes taking advantage of open DNS servers that are made available to the public.

Typically, a DNS query request to the open DNS server is sent by the threat actor as the first step in an attack, faking the source address to become the target address. The DNS record answer is transmitted to the new target, which is under the attacker’s control, when the DNS server returns it.

3.DNS Flood Attack

User datagram protocol (UDP) flooding is used in DNS flood assaults, which utilise the DNS protocol. Threat actors launch legitimate (but fake) DNS request packets at a very high packet rate before generating a huge collection of source IP addresses.

The DNS servers of the target begin responding to all requests since they appear to be valid. The huge volume of requests may then cause the DNS server to crash. An extensive DNS attack uses a lot of network resources, wearing down the targeted DNS infrastructure until it is shut down. Internet access for the target is thus cut off.

4.DNS spoofing

DNS spoofing, also known as DNS cache poisoning, is the practise of utilising updated DNS records to reroute online traffic to a malicious website that seems to be the desired location. Users are prompted to enter into their accounts once they arrive at the phoney location.

They essentially give the threat actor the chance to steal access credentials as well as any sensitive information entered into the bogus login form after they enter the information. Furthermore, these malicious websites are frequently used to download viruses or worms onto end users’ computers, giving the threat actor ongoing access to the device and any data it holds.

5.NXDOMAIN Attack

A DNS NXDOMAIN flood DDoS attack uses a huge number of requests for incorrect or nonexistent records in an effort to overwhelm the DNS server. These assaults are frequently handled by a DNS proxy server, which queries the DNS authoritative server with the majority (or all) of its resources.

The DNS authoritative server and the DNS proxy server end up spending all of their time processing invalid requests as a result. As a result, the response time for valid queries gradually increases until it eventually ceases.

DNS Attack Defense

Here are a few strategies to defend your company from DNS-based attacks:

Keep DNS Resolver Private and Protected

Never leave your DNS resolver accessible to outside users; only allow network users to utilise it. This can guard against outside parties tainting its store.

Configure your DNS Against Cache Poisoning

Set up protection in your DNS software to safeguard your company from cache poisoning. Outgoing requests can be made more variable to make it more difficult for threat actors to provide a false response and have it approved. Use a random source port rather of UDP port 53, or try randomising the query ID.

Securely Manage Your DNS servers

In-house, via a service provider, or with the aid of a domain registrar are all options for hosting authoritative servers. You can exercise complete control if you have the necessary knowledge and abilities for in-house hosting. If you lack the necessary size and skills, outsourcing this part might be advantageous.

Check Your Web Applications and APIs for DNS Vulnerabilities

Your apps and APIs are automatically scanned by Bright for hundreds of vulnerabilities, including DNS security flaws. Request a FREE Bright account. Bright verify every finding before reporting it to you, thus the generated reports are free of false-positive results. The reports include detailed instructions for your team’s remediation.

Bright’s interface with ticketing programmes like JIRA makes it simple to assign problems to your developers for quick resolution. Create a FREE Bright account to begin automating your API and application security testing.

Check Our Additional Guides on Key Cybersecurity Topics

We have written comprehensive guides on a number of other subjects with the help of our content partners, which can be helpful as you learn more about the field of cybersecurity.

Security Misconfiguration

Learn how vulnerable systems and data can be exposed to attackers due to security misconfigurations.

Directory Traversal: Examples, Testing, and Prevention • Misconfiguration Attacks: 5 Real-Life Attacks and Lessons Learned

  • Directory Traversal Attack: Practical Assaults and Code Samples

Command injection

Learn about command injection attacks, when attackers inject malicious code into running programmes and operating systems.

  • How Command Injection Works and Five Ways to Prevent It
  • Example of Code Injection: How to Identify and Prevent Attacks

Deserialization

Find out about deserialization techniques and how attackers can exploit them to take advantage of weak systems.

  • Deserialization: How it Operates and App Security
  • Java Deserialization and How Attackers Use It
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