Sometimes you have to get creative when responding to the threats that exist in the cyber world. The fact that blocking IP addresses doesn’t cover all the bases is something that many IT network administrators have been forced to learn the hard way. The reality is that a more flexible and comprehensive approach is actually needed. Having the ability to trigger firewall blocks by both domain and IP address is a good starting point for effectively protecting a network.
It is also important to make sure security measures aren’t overly zealous when it comes to blocking access attempts. A network that automatically blocks users can result in lost productivity and IT headaches for an enterprise. The genius of using a DNS firewall is that you can redirect suspicious or unidentifiable queries to a walled garden for analysis. There is a big movement happening in the world of IT security that involves fortifying DNS firewalls with Response Policy Zone (RPZ) technology. RPZ technology creates an intelligent and reactive defense against even the most sophisticated attacks.
What Are Response Policy Zones (RPZ)?
One of the biggest problems facing IT administrators and security officers is the fact that malicious host names, domain names and IP addresses are so rampant. What is even more troubling is that it takes 147 days on average for a cyber breach to even be detected. It will likely take weeks or months before an enterprise can properly assess the damage that has been done and provide authorities with helpful information. It can then take months for authorities to act and take down the infrastructure of known criminals if at all possible. Of course, the criminals involved will continue to use the same malware on victims around the world until they are shut down or they will simply move on to the next sophisticated scam. Enterprises are left with their hands tied behind their backs until that day comes.
However, RPZ is changing that because it allows a network or DNS administrator to implement personalized protection policies based on reputation feeds from security service providers. These feeds arrive on a real-time basis. Network administrators can use this knowledge to prevent malware-infected hosts from infiltrating networks. The act of scrutinizing DNS resolution may help to prevent threats from achieving their target of reaching command and control servers. This effectively turns a recursive DNS server into a DNS firewall.
Who Needs RPZ and DNS Firewall Protection?
No individual or enterprise is immune to the growing threats in the world of cyber security. Both small businesses and large global organizations must take measures to stay one step ahead of criminals. The reasons why a large corporation would be targeted are obvious. Criminals are seeking access to financial information or sensitive industry information. However, even small-scale enterprises are at risk because of the fact that cyber criminals routinely target individuals. Any individual user on a network can place the entire network at risk simply by opening a malicious email in a personal account while connected to the network. Things like customer information, financial accounts, trade secrets, personal emails and employee files are all fair game once a hacker has infiltrated a network. In addition to bad publicity and upfront financial losses, an enterprise can be held legally liable for failing to protect confidential records to the fullest extent possible. The bottom line is that hackers indiscriminately try to infect as many networks as possible. This means that every person and organization requires serious protection.
The Top Benefits of DNS Firewall Protection
The good news is that enterprises no longer have to wait for hackers to be formally shut down before they can take action. Offense truly is the best defense in the world of cyber security. There are some distinct benefits offered by a DNS firewall that no other measure can provide. Using a DNS firewall that has been developed by an outside firm allows enterprises to enjoy the user-friendly side of a very sophisticated type of technology. Enterprises are able to take advantage of immediate protection that is easy to install and deploy. Some of the biggest benefits of using firewall technology include:
- Prevention of damage and data loss caused by phishing attacks.
- User-defined policies that can incorporate multiple lists.
- A reduction in the need for additional network bandwidth.
- Elimination of the need to manually blacklist domain names.
- Web-based reports that provide easy-to-read summaries of threat attempts that have been captured.
Don’t wait to try to put out fires. Instead, it’s best to be proactive in protecting your data against cyber criminals. Evaluate your cyber security and make sure it is up to date and as powerful as possible before it’s too late.
