The DNS (Domain Name System) serves as the backbone of the online experience, acting as the internet’s address book. It makes internet use possible by translating human-friendly website domain names into machine-friendly IP addresses. This process enables seamless online connectivity for users.

DNS services do have weaknesses. They are susceptible to cyber threats, which can hurt your business and your customers at the same time.

Managed DNS security gives you a proactive approach to protecting networks and reducing the change of DNS attacks. In this guide, you’ll learn what managed DNS security covers, how it works, and why it’s so important.

What is Managed DNS Security?

Managed DNS security measures protect your DNS infrastructure from cyberattacks. When you work with a managed DNS service, its security measures also ensure users are directed to legitimate websites. Your site visitors get to avoid malicious pages leading to fraud or malware. By protecting your DNS infrastructure against attacks, DNS security measures lead to strong uptime rates, too.

Is Managed DNS Security Right for You?

Managed DNS security services are different from traditional DNS services. While the two are closely related, managed DNS security focuses on security features provided by a managed DNS provider.

Some of the benefits of managed DNS include:

• Continuous performance monitoring to avoid downtime and poor response times
• Threat detection
• Access to professional support to resolve DNS-related concerns efficiently

Additionally, managed DNS security provides users with more advanced control. This includes custom rules for filtering traffic, advanced configurations, and deeper analytics to monitor your online presence.

Key Security Aspects to Look For

To keep your website or infrastructure safe from cyber threats, your managed DNS service needs to keep security front and center. Key DNS security features to keep in mind include:

DDOS Attack Mitigation

Managed DNS security services include strategies to detect, defend against, and block virtual attacks. DNS services are common targets for DDoS attacks, where fake traffic overwhelms servers and causes downtime. Managed DNS security services account for this type of DNS attack using specialized techniques, such as traffic filtering, rate limiting, and traffic redirection.

Uptime Reliability

Ensuring DNS services remain functional and available is critical for business operations and maintaining the user experience companies promise.

Managed DNS security services use Anycast routing. This method involves multiple copies of DNS servers around the globe. Incoming server queries can be routed to the nearest server automatically. The result is improved response times, plus you prevent server overload.

DNS Monitoring

The real-time monitoring of managed DNS security services offers visibility into all things DNS. You can check in on query traffic, performance issues, and potential incoming cyber threats. With detailed reports on DNS traffic, administrators can analyze key metrics to identify patterns. 

Good DNS monitoring might help you identify security issues as soon as they appear, such as an abrupt spike in traffic signaling a DDoS attack.

Additionally, managed DNS security services send alerts when suspicious threats are detected. Real-time notifications allow you to act fast in bad situations caused by DNS attacks.

Account Security

Unauthorized changes in your DNS management platform are a big deal. They can lead to data breaches or other criminal activities. To ensure only necessary users have access to your DNS infrastructure, managed DNS security services implement key protection measures such as:

• Two-factor authentication (2FA): This requires users to provide their login credentials and also a second factor to access the DNS platform.
• Dynamic DNS (DDNS) keys: This is a unique set of credentials used to authenticate and authorize updates to DNS records.
• Role-based access control (RBAC): This is a security measure that allows administrators to assign permission levels for users.

Why is Managed DNS Security Critical for Businesses?

If you conduct business online, managed DNS security is worth researching. DNS security is especially important because of…

The Growing Number and Sophistication of DNS Attacks

Countless people depend on the internet to access services and conduct business. This has made cyberattacks that target DNS infrastructure a common issue. Cyber attackers are continuously seeking new ways to exploit DNS vulnerabilities. Great DNS security stays on top of new threats and protects both your business and your customers.

The Consequences of DNS Vulnerabilities

DNS weak points leave the door open for cybercriminals to take advantage of. When they do, the repercussions can be severe. They can range from financial loss due to downtime, diminished customer trust and loyalty, and even legal liabilities because of data breaches.

The Importance of Proactive DNS Monitoring and Response Systems

DNS-related security incidents are complex, and the threat landscape is evolving. In addition to the potential financial losses caused by downtime and lost trust, your businesses could end up spending a lot of money investigating threats and restoring disruptions. This makes proactive DNS monitoring and response systems very valuable.  

Real-World Use Cases of Managed DNS Security

Businesses large and small rely on managed DNS security services to protect against cyber attacks and improve overall performance. Use cases that highlight the value and impact of managed DNS security services include:

• Small businesses: It can help small businesses maintain website uptime and secure customer transactions.
• IT teams: It helps ensure reliable internal network access for IT teams and minimize DNS-based threats.
• Remote workers: It offers secure, consistent remote access to devices and servers for remote workers.

Get Secure with No-IP Managed DNS

In today’s digital landscape where online transactions and interactions are the norm, managed DNS security has become an essential. Trusted security measures are critical for organizations of all kinds. No-IP’s reliability, integration, and performance set it apart from other third-party providers, ensuring your DNS vulnerabilities are protected.

Explore our Managed DNS services to learn about No-IP’s DNS solutions. Discover how No-IP can meet your managed DNS security needs today!