Domain Security: What does DNSSEC mean?

DNSSEC domain security: let's analyze how to activate this security protocol created for accurate protection of your domain.

Domain security has become a major concern of internet users in recent times. In a world where cyber threats are increasingly widespread and sophisticated, it is important that there is greater protection from potential cyber attacks. It is no coincidence that the domain of a website represents the online identity and consequently the entire online activity of the site owner. And, if compromised, it can lead to serious consequences, including the loss of sensitive user data, the disclosure of confidential information, or the spread of malware to site visitors.

Fortunately, in this context, one of the technologies that can offer greater security to domains is DNSSEC.

What is DNSSEC and how it works

DNSSEC is an abbreviation meaning Domain Name System Security Extensions, or “domain name system security extensions”. It is a security protocol designed to protect the domain name system (DNS) from cyber attacks, a technology that allows ensure the integrity and authenticity of the data which are exchanged between DNS servers. In other words, it ensures that, during the exchange, they have not been tampered with or altered by malicious third parties.

It uses a digital signature system to ensure an adequate level of security. In practice, every time a DNS request is made, the server responds by providing not only the IP address of the requested website, but also a digital signature that ensure integrity. This digital signature is generated using a private cryptographic key that only the DNS server knows.

Therefore, when the browser receives the response from the DNS server, it verifies the digital signature using a public cryptographic key provided by the server. This way, the browser can be sure that the data it received was not coerced.

What are the benefits of DNSSEC?

One of the main advantages of DNSSEC is that, as we said previously, greater security to domains, contributing to protect users from attacks computers such as the phishing and other forms of computer fraud. A compromised domain can go so far as to undermine the website owner's reputation and users' trust in the website. This can have a negative impact on business activities, causing loss of customers and decreased revenue.

In addition to the safety aspect they allow you to avoid any addressing errors, with the certainty that the data received from the DNS server is the correct one. This way it causes Internet users to be redirected to fake or malicious websites.

Finally, DNSSEC can help improve website performance, with users being able to access web pages more quickly, as the DNS server response time is reduced.

How to activate DNSSEC on your domain?

To enable DNSSEC on your domain, follow the steps below:

1. Contact your domain registrar and see if they support DNSSEC. If they do, ask them to enable DNSSEC on your domain.
2. Generate a DNSSEC key pair using a DNSSEC key generator. You can make use of tools like “dnssec-keygen” or “OpenDNSSEC” to generate these keys.
3. Provide your DNSSEC keys to your registrar. Typically, you will need to provide the public key to the registrar.
4. Your domain registrar will add your DNSSEC keys to your domain's DNS records.
5. Verify that DNSSEC has been enabled correctly. You can use tools like “DNSViz” or “Verisign DNSSEC Debugger”.
6. Finally, monitor your domain regularly for DNSSEC issues. In particular, monitor DNSSEC alerts and DNS signatures to ensure they are always correct.

Once you complete these steps, your domain should be protected by DNSSEC.

Conclusion

In conclusion, DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions) is an important security protocol designed to protect the domain name system (DNS) from cyber attacks. With the increase in the number of cyber attacks that aim to manipulate DNS records and hijack Internet traffic, it has become increasingly important to ensure the security and integrity of the DNS.

It works by using public key cryptography to protect DNS records, ensuring that domain name information is authentic and not manipulated. This way, users can be sure that the website they are visiting is actually what they are looking for, without the risk of being redirected to a malicious site.

Although activating DNSSEC takes some time and effort, the extensive advantages of the security offered make it an important choice for website owners and domain managers. Additionally, many web browsers and Internet service providers support DNSSEC, helping to make it an increasingly important security protocol for safe web browsing.