Network Security Protocols Questions Medium
The Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) protocol protects against DNS attacks by providing a mechanism for verifying the authenticity and integrity of DNS data. It achieves this through the use of digital signatures and cryptographic keys.
DNSSEC works by adding digital signatures to DNS data, which are generated using public-key cryptography. These signatures are then stored in DNS records alongside the corresponding data. When a client requests DNS information, the DNS server provides both the data and the associated signature.
To verify the authenticity of the DNS data, the client uses the public key of the DNS server to decrypt the signature. If the decrypted signature matches the DNS data, it confirms that the data has not been tampered with during transmission.
DNSSEC also protects against DNS cache poisoning attacks, where an attacker tries to insert false DNS data into a DNS cache. With DNSSEC, the client can verify the authenticity of the DNS data received from the cache by checking the digital signature.
Furthermore, DNSSEC provides a chain of trust by using a hierarchical system of trust anchors. These trust anchors are public keys of trusted DNS servers, which are pre-configured in DNS resolvers. By verifying the digital signatures of DNS data using these trust anchors, DNSSEC ensures the integrity of the entire DNS resolution process.
Overall, DNSSEC enhances the security of the DNS infrastructure by preventing DNS spoofing, data tampering, and cache poisoning attacks, thereby providing a more secure and trustworthy DNS resolution process.