Common DNS attacks that exploit the DNS system

DNS Wizards’s foremost priority has been and will always be the security of our network and customers.  If that means making changes as a result of evolving threats that can potentially slow down the network in terms of query response times, we will make that change in the interest of security without hesitation. DNS Wizard’s priority will always be security over raw performance.  Today we are discussing some of the common attacks we see on a regular basis.

DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service)

This type of attack is the most common. It’s initiated by an individual in control of a botnet or a large number of zombie devices.  The attacker will instruct the botnet to send thousands or millions of query requests to a DNS Server potentially overloading it.   While these DNS servers struggle under the onslaught, they may not be able to handle legitimate queries from real customers.  DNS Wizard has systems in place to mitigate this form of attack.

NX DOMAIN Attack

This is similiar to a traditional DDoS attack. Its purpose is also to deny service to legitimate DNS traffic, but instead of instructing zombie devices to hit a specified target, it overloads name-servers with requests for subdomains or DNS records that do not exist. Like DDoS attacks, these threats can overload a server or network to the point of failure. DNS Wizard has systems in place to mitigate this form of attack.

DNS Hijacking

This form of attack can occur client side or server side. It’s purpose is to redirect DNS traffic to a non legitimate destination, often to collect sensitive data from the client. This form off attack can use malware on a clients computer to send them to an identical website and collect their sensitive data. DNS Wizard has systems in place to prevent this form of attack server side and we strongly recommend customers use the multi-factor authentication functionality that is built into the client area.