214-379-4200 - Business Only support@avaren.com

DNS Security (Cloud Based)

In-House & Remote Users, we’ve got you covered.

Prevent Infections & Downtime

Malware typically employs DNS. Fewer support events = lower support costs

Control Internet Access

Businesses should no longer provide unfettered access to every address

Track Web Usage

Complete transparency into every URL requested by devices

What is DNS?

 

Invented by Paul Mockapetris in 1983, the Domain name System (DNS) is a system used by computing devices for converting the domain names human’s use (Ex. WWW.AVAREN.COM) into the IP addresses (ex. 129.250.35.250) our devices use to communicate with one another. For example, after typing a URL into a device’s browser the device will then perform a DNS lookup to determine the IP address for the requested resource. Even though from our (human) perspective it may look like our device is communicating with the requested domain name, our device is actually communicating with the resource’s IP address. So you might think of DNS as a kind of telephone book/directory for internet resources. In this manner our computers (and other devices) may make hundreds of these DNS lookup requests per day in order to facilitate the routing of network traffic to requested resources.

What is DNS Security?

DNS security takes DNS lookup functionality to a new level, integrating additional security features into the process. Because the DNS lookup process is typically an intermediary between our computing devices and external resources; blacklists of known disreputable external resources can be added to the DNS lookup process in order to prevent our devices from getting to these known bad neighborhoods. For example: if a URL has been identified by IT security workers as containing or hosting malicious code; an entry can be added to the DNS lookup system to prevent devices from accessing this remote resource. Thus injecting additional security checks into the DNS lookup process can help to dramatically cut down on virus and malware infections within our computing environments.

Once aware that such systems exist to enable security at the DNS layer; does it not make sense to employ this additional security layer within your enterprise immediately? Call AVAREN today and let us begin working to transform the security profile of your computing infrastructure.

Additional Benefits of DNS Security

 

If the anti-malware/virus benefits of DNS security weren’t compelling enough; there are numerous other reasons why a business manager would wish to implement a DNS security layer. These include:

Uncontrolled internet access can be a tremendous liability for a business. With a DNS security service a business owner can easily blacklist non-productive or non-work related web sites such as social media websites, pornography, and other time wasters. As many as 80 different URL categories can be turned on to prevent employee usage of time wasting web sites.

Multiple different policies for DNS security can be applied at the user, group, or IP level; ensuring maximum organizational flexibility. This capability allows us to configure different levels of internet access based upon departmental or other business groupings. An example of this flexibility would include actions like: blocking Facebook company wide with the exception of the Marketing Department.

A DNS security application can provide transparency into employee internet utilization; and typically includes full reporting capability (by employee) for day/week/month, etc. Configuring a DNS security application within your business is the fastest and easiest way for business managers to obtain these types of insights into employee internet usage statistics.

While configuration changes to existing are required for implementation; DNS security (and its benefits such as web usage tracking) can typically be implemented without the use of additional hardware. Other than DNS Security; there is no solution on the market that can so dramatically and inexpensively impact the cyber-security profile of a business operation.

DNS security can block as much as 90% of web-based malware at the URL level; so these threats never make it back to your network. A thwarted malware infection is one your team does not have to recover from or clean up. We have recognized a notable change in the number of client infections immediately following implementing DNS security at client environments.

A small software client can be deployed for laptop (or other remote workers) to force DNS security compliance when users are outside the office. Once installed, the internet is effectively secured for the end-user in question, regardless of their physical location. Thus, DNS security helps us cut down on client infections even when the client is located outside the office.

AVAREN Provides DNS & Network Security Services to Businesses Throughout Dallas & Fort Worth

 

Veterans of big business and government; AVAREN has the experience needed
to provide reliable business systems.