Improving privacy with DNS over TLS

Ensuring online privacy and security

1. How to protect DNS queries with DNS instead of TLS

As online technology advances, security progresses hand in hand, as well. One of the key aspects which is often overlooked is the security of DNS queries. These queries are essential for navigating the internet, but they can also be a weakness in terms of privacy and security. This is where DNS over TLS comes in, a technology that encrypts queries in order to increase network security and protect its customers.

2. What is DNS over TLS?

DNS over TLS, abbreviated as DoT, is a protocol that adds an extra layer of security to DNS queries. When the device runs a DNS query, the information is usually sent in plain text, which can make it vulnerable if someone wanted to see this type of traffic, as well as compromise potential man-in-the-middle attacks. With DNS over TLS, these queries are encrypted, which means that any third party trying to intercept your data will only find characters that are impossible to understand.

Implementing DNS over TLS has a number of substantial benefits in terms of online security and privacy. First, encryption of DNS queries greatly improves user privacy. This measure prevents internet service providers (ISPs) and potential attackers from intercepting and analyzing browsing activities.

Moreover, this additional layer of security provides effective protection against various cyber threats. DNS over TLS protects against DNS cache poisoning attacks as one of the main attacks, adding an additional layer of security to the browsing experience. This is especially important in a digital environment where cyber threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

In addition, DNS over TLS gives users more control over the contents that they access. The encryption of DNS queries makes it more difficult for a third party to censor or filter specific contents. This feature is essential for those who want to access information freely and without restrictions imposed by intermediaries.

Another key advantage of this technology is the guarantee of data integrity.

DNS over TLS ensures that the responses received are authentic and have not been altered during the transmission process. This feature is essential in order to prevent phishing attacks and data manipulation, increasing trust in online interactions.

 

3. Why you should consider using DNS over TLS in order to protect your DNS data

Protecting personal data and privacy online has become a key priority for governments and businesses. Among the many tools available to protect our information, DNS over TLS emerges as an essential option in order to ensure the security of our DNS queries. In this new Flashstart post, we will take a detailed look at why you should consider adopting DNS over TLS as a crucial measure in order to protect your DNS data.

First of all, encrypting DNS queries with DNS over TLS solves one of the most notorious vulnerabilities in the internet browsing process: the unencrypted transmission of DNS over TLS queries.

Internet browsing: the transmission of unencrypted data.

By incorporating this encryption layer, it prevents attackers from intercepting and accessing sensitive information, preventing the above attacks.

Now ISPs will not be able to see what sites you are accessing, giving you the freedom to browse, and you will also avoid various DNS-related attacks.

DNS over TLS ensures that the responses received are from the correct DNS server and have not been altered during transit. This effectively prevents the possibility of spoofing and data manipulation attacks by ensuring that online interactions are authentic and reliable.


>> FlashStart protects you from a vast range of threats and blocks access to dangerous sites → Try it now


4. How to implement DNS over TLS in order to increase online security

As we have discussed in this new post, DNS over TLS brings privacy and security benefits to users, but a common question is how to implement this solution in our network. Here are the most important key points for securely using this new way of browsing the internet.

Choosing reliable DNS servers over TLS: the first step in the deployment process is the selection of reliable DNS servers over TLS. In the next few lines, we will see how Flashstart can help you in this process.

Configuring devices: once a DNS over TLS server has been chosen, it is time to configure devices in order to use it. Instructions may vary depending upon the operating system, but they generally involve accessing network settings and specifying the IP address of the secure DNS server.

Test and verify: after having configured the devices, run tests to verify that the implementation of DNS over TLS works as expected. Visit various websites and check whether DNS queries are made through the chosen secure server. If everything is configured correctly, you should see an increase in online privacy and security.

Router-level configuration: if you want to apply DNS over TLS to all devices on the network, you should configure your router to use a secure DNS server. This ensures that all DNS queries made on the network benefit from an additional layer of security.

5. How Flashstart helps you with DNS over TLS

Following new developments in the field of security, Flashstart does not fall behind, always improving our systems and innovating the safest and easiest way to protect your network.

However, with DoH, all that has changed. Now, when you make DNS requests, they are encrypted, which means your data is protected from prying eyes. DoH uses SSL/TLS certificates to ensure that all online interactions are safe and protected.

In its recent 4.0 update, Flashstart effectively implements DNS over HTTPS via FlashStart’s ClientShield. This solution enhances security by wrapping data in a secure VPN connection, adding an additional layer of protection. A higher level of security and privacy is established with this technology.

The importance of DNS over TLS lies in its ability to protect your digital activities in a connected world. SSL/TLS protection built into every DNS request brings trust and security to your online interactions. You no longer have to worry about old vulnerabilities; now you can rely on a protocol that prioritizes your security.

Flashstart not only implements DNS over TLS in version 4.0, but also many security upgrades; you can review the webinar where we outline all the new features and improvements in Flashstart 4.0.


>> FlashStart is totally in cloud based and is easy to activate → Activate now your “Free trial”, our company is active 24/7


6. Overview

Protecting DNS queries is essential to ensure online privacy and security. DNS over TLS is an effective solution for encrypting these queries and mitigating the risks associated with data interception and DNS attacks. Flashstart has already adopted this technology in order to improve your online security, along with all the new features that will make your online users more protected against new attacks which can compromise the security and privacy of your business or home.

See you in the next post!


You can activate the FlashStart® Cloud protection on any sort of Router and Firewall to secure desktop and mobile devices and IoT devices on local networks.

Reading time 2 min
Dario NogueraBlogger & Trainer Mikrotik
I share knowledge and expertise on networking, specializing in Mikrotik devices. Through blogging and training courses, I make complex concepts accessible to networking enthusiasts and operators, providing them with the resources they need to excel in the field.

View all posts by Dario Noguera

I share knowledge and expertise on networking, specializing in Mikrotik devices. Through blogging and training courses, I make complex concepts accessible to networking enthusiasts and operators, providing them with the resources they need to excel in the field.
Share this post:  
For information
click here
For a free trial
click here
For prices
click here
Follow us on
Linkedin | YouTube