The Best DNS Books of All Time

DNS is a foundational element of network communications. It’s also the starting point for countless cyberattacks. Threat actors abuse DNS to install malware, exfiltrate data, and perpetrate malware threats. Cyber threats that leverage DNS are widespread, sophisticated, and rapidly evolving. DNS is used by over 90 percent of malware and in an ever-growing range of pernicious attacks. However, despite its vulnerabilities, DNS can unlock a hidden world of security capabilities that can help protect today’s highly distributed and cloud-integrated networks.

The Hidden Potential of DNS in Security reveals how attackers exploit DNS and how cybersecurity professionals can proactively use DNS to turn the tables and mitigate those threats. Knowing how to leverage the protective capabilities of DNS can give you an unprecedented head start in stopping today’s advanced cyberthreats. This book gives you that knowledge. Written specifically for security practitioners, and including real-world case studies, this book offers a thorough yet easy-to-digest understanding of today’s most urgent and potentially damaging DNS-based cyberthreats, how to mitigate them, and how to leverage your DNS infrastructure to further your security mission. In it, you will discover:. Why DNS is inherently vulnerable and why knowledge of DNS is now crucial for security teamsHow malware uses DNS to avoid detection and communicate with command-and-control (C2) infrastructureHow threat actors leverage DNS in executing a broad array of attacks involving look-alike domains, domain generation algorithms, DNS tunneling, data exfiltration, and cache poisoningWhat DNSSEC is (and is not) and how it worksHow recently emerging encrypted DNS standards can impact security controls, along with the security advantages they can provideHow DNS can be leveraged in Zero Trust architecturesHow you can improve your security posture using the DNS infrastructure you already have.

Gain comprehensive insights into the domain name ecosystem, together with exploring the different operations strategies. Key FeaturesManage DNS-name server infrastructure and risksGain practical insights into types of nameservers, DNS queries and more Discover expert advice from an industry veteran based on real-world experienceBook DescriptionManaging your organization's naming architecture and mitigating risks within complex naming environments is very important.

This book will go beyond looking at ‘how to run a nameserver' or ‘how to DNSSEC sign a domain', and focus on the entire spectrum of naming - from external factors that exert influence on your domains to all the internal factors that you need to consider when operating your Domain Name System (DNS). You'll gain comprehensive insights into the world of naming. Starting from understanding the role of registrars and how they interact with registries, you'll then move on to what ICANN does and its significance. Once you have gained a solid understanding of the fundamentals of the domain name ecosystem, you'll be taken through all aspects of DNS operations in the later chapters. Whether your organization operates its own nameservers or utilizes an outsourced vendor, or both, you'll examine the complex web of interlocking factors that must be taken into account but are too frequently overlooked. By the end of this book, you'll be well-versed with the different aspects of DNS nameservers and have gained the skills to effectively manage mission-critical servers. What you will learnUnderstand the anatomy of a domain - how a domain is the sum of both its DNS zone and its registration data, and why that mattersExplore the domain name ecosystem - the role of registries, registrars and oversight bodies and their effect on your namesGet up to speed with how DNS queries work, along with exploring queries and responses including debugging techniques to identify problemsDiscover alternative nameserver daemons, numbering considerations, and deployment architecturesDelve into DNS use cases and understand the right way to perform basic operations such as domain transfers, large scale migrations, GeoDNS, and Anycast DNSLearn how to secure your domains, focusing on various aspects of security, right from registrar vendor selection through to DNSSEC and DDoS mitigation strategiesWho This Book Is ForThis book is for system administrators, webmasters, IT consultants, developers or anyone responsible for maintaining an organization's core DNS. Table of ContentsThe Domain name EcosystemCommon PitfallsDomain Policies you must be aware ofThe Two Major Roles of Nameservers DNS Queries In Action Types and Uses of Common Resource Records Quasi- Record Types Common Nameserver Software Debugging without tears: DNS Diagnostic Tools Domain Operations & DNS Use Cases Nameserver Considerations Securing your Domains and DNS DNS and DDoS Attacks IPv6 Considerations IPv6 Considerations.

DNS. The world's most successful distributed database-and the most naïve. The Domain Name System is one of the Internet's oldest protocols, designed for a network without hostile users. Intruders targeting a network start by investigating their DNS. DNS Security Extensions, or DNSSEC, hardens DNS and brings it into the 21st century. Learning DNSSEC required wading through years of obsolete tutorials, dead ends, and inscrutable standards. Until now. This new edition of DNSSEC Mastery will have DNS administrators deploying DNSSEC with industry-standard software in hours instead of weeks. You will:.

Understand what DNSSEC providesConfigure your servers to resist attackVerify your environment supports modern DNSDebug DNSSEC and the Chain of TrustSign your zones and attach them to the Chain of TrustConceal zone data with NSEC3Automate DNSSEC maintenanceRoll over keys to maintain integrityImplement DNSSEC on private networksSecurely distribute security-critical information via DNS. And more! DNSSEC Mastery transforms DNS from a headache to a solution.