What is DNS?
It is an essential element in the network (online infrastructure) that allows users to watch or access content on the internet by building a link between an IP address and the respective website with the help of a database. Hackers can use it as an opportunity to disturb the service, which causes altering in the domain registrars. Also known as DNS hijacking, altering domain registrars can cause DDoS attacks, DNS Tunneling, cache position, etc.
About the DNS Risk
- In a recent incident, a cryptocurrency exchange Japanese company named Coincheck was a victim of DNS Hijacking. The attack costed the company exposure of around 200 clients' private information and e-mails. The hackers first altered the basic DNS entry by using the company's account and Oname.com- the company's domain registrar provider. After this, the hackers used a spear-phishing technique to steal information and e-mails from the 200 clients.
- In another DNS hijacking incident last month, a group of experts from Israel found an "NXNS Vulnerability." The vulnerability in the DNS servers can cause massive scale DDoS attacks if exploited by hackers. To lessen the impact of the attack, Microsoft recently issued a security advisory about the vulnerability.
Concerns regarding DNS
In present times, the most pressing problem, according to cybersecurity experts, is the exploitation of unattended domains. In other words, domains that are no longer in use but still exist on the internet. It happens under the circumstances of dissolved firms, mergers, and partnerships, as the companies leave out their old domains because of the rebranding. If a domain is left out to expire, the following things can happen:
- If the hackers re-register the expired domains and make a new e-mail server, they can have access to confidential organizational information.
- Left out domains of stores can be re-built, and the hackers can use it to receive orders and steal the money.
