{"id":5697,"date":"2021-08-26T05:00:57","date_gmt":"2021-08-26T04:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.n-able.com\/?p=5697"},"modified":"2024-03-04T15:36:21","modified_gmt":"2024-03-04T15:36:21","slug":"dns-blocking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.n-able.com\/es\/blog\/dns-blocking","title":{"rendered":"What Is DNS Blocking, and What Should You Know about DNS Security?"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the workplace, certain web pages can be a distraction for employee productivity\u2014or worse, a disruption. If you\u2019re a managed services provider (MSP), your customers may be interested in finding a way to control the types of websites their employees can access during the workday. One viable option for them to utilize is a DNS block to restrict access to certain web addresses<\/a> on a given server.<\/p>\n

This article will help you understand what DNS block is, who uses it, and how it works. We\u2019ll also touch on some topics related to DNS security in general, including best practices and key terms, to give you an idea about some of the related threats to cybersecurity.<\/p>\n

What is a DNS block?<\/h2>\n

A DNS block is a mechanism that allows you to prevent access to certain web pages on the server. The technology was originally designed to help defend against spam and phishing attacks<\/a> by blocking known suspicious IP addresses. Today, it serves a variety of purposes\u2014some people use it as an antipiracy safeguard, while others use it to prevent access to infected or addictive sites (like gambling) in the workplace.<\/p>\n

The basic function of DNS blocking software is simple\u2014it serves as a gateway between the web server and your personal server<\/a>, ensuring your browser doesn\u2019t recognize the blocked IP address and cannot access the website\u2019s server.<\/p>\n

Who uses DNS blockers?<\/h2>\n

With businesses across industries now spending a large portion of the workday on the internet, DNS blocking has evolved from its original role as an anti-spam device. Today, organizations can utilize this capability to prohibit access to disruptive or distracting sites in the workplace\u2014from gambling sites to social media sites. Many DNS blocking programs allow administrators to adjust their blocks to specify what types of sites they want to restrict, so certain users might have more flexible safeguards.<\/p>\n

Because DNS blocking is a server-based identification system and not a software application, multiple devices across a given network\u2014including smartphones, tablets, and other devices\u2014can be governed by DNS blocks, too.<\/p>\n

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How does DNS blocking work?<\/h2>\n

To understand fully how DNS blocking works, we need to take a step back. A web page\u2019s IP address\u2014essentially a multidigit identification code\u2014is its primary nametag on the home server. But IP addresses are not practical for users to enter every time they wish to access a web page. If you are looking for Twitter, for example, it would be quite impractical to search for its IP address\u2014199.59.149.165\u2014each time you wanted to reach the home page. DNS\u2014or the domain name system\u2014is the process of naming websites in human language as opposed to their numerical IP addresses.<\/p>\n

Created in 1983 to help make the internet more intuitive for everyday users, DNS essentially acts as a telephone book that links the user-friendly domain name to its more technical IP address. (All the \u201ctranslating\u201d is done in the background by your servers.)<\/p>\n

A DNS block works by removing the IP address name from the \u201cphonebook\u201d on your server. For example, if you were to block Twitter using a DNS blocker, your server would intentionally forget the name assigned to 199.59.149.165. As a result, blockers disable your server from locating particular web pages. To block whole genres of web pages, like piracy sites, DNS blocking services can set your server to forget large swaths of IP addresses that fit certain criteria. This breaks the communication between the IP server and the user\u2019s device.<\/p>\n

This way, DNS blocking can be a quick and easy way to prevent staff from accessing malicious or unwanted web pages with negligible overheads and no physical hardware.<\/p>\n

Top tips for DNS security<\/span><\/h2>\n

As you can see, DNS plays a critical role in facilitating modern web traffic and thus becomes, understandably, a common target for cyberattackers. Utilizing DNS blocking is considered one of the many best practices that can have a large impact on overall cybersecurity.<\/p>\n

Read on as we explore some other tips on DNS security that will help you prevent threats originating from this common source.<\/p>\n