Enhancing Cybersecurity Investigations With Protective DNS

Written by Gregory Powell | September 26, 2023

In cybersecurity, staying one step ahead of cyber threats is a constant challenge. The rapid evolution of these threats requires organizations and individuals to adopt proactive measures that provide protection and valuable insights.

One such approach involves utilizing protective Domain Name System (DNS) tools. In this blog post, we will explore how protective DNS tools can significantly contribute to the effectiveness of cybersecurity investigations.

The Role of Protective DNS In Cybersecurity Investigations

Protective DNS is a technology designed to safeguard networks and devices from various online threats by filtering and blocking malicious domains, IP addresses, and websites. While its primary purpose is to prevent malicious activities, protective DNS tools can also serve as a valuable asset in cybersecurity investigations.

Protective DNS tools work by identifying and blocking connections to known malicious domains and IP addresses. By doing so, they can detect potential threats at an early stage, allowing investigators to trace the origins of suspicious activities before they escalate into full-blown attacks. HYAS Protect, leveraging real-time threat intelligence, proactively identifies and flags potential threats at an early stage.

These tools often maintain databases of domain reputations and categorizations. This data can be leveraged during investigations to assess the credibility of domains associated with suspicious activities. HYAS Protect, a robust cybersecurity platform, offers the capability to analyze domain reputation data during investigations. Investigative teams can cross-reference domain information to identify potential threats or false positives.

Protective DNS tools provide insights into domains and IP addresses that devices within a network are attempting to connect to. This information can aid investigators in identifying compromised systems, unusual communication patterns, and potential command-and-control servers.

Through the HYAS Protect console, investigators can easily identify why domains are being blocked to safeguard the environment. HYAS Protect’s log aggregation functionality makes identifying traffic patterns a breeze without the need to learn yet another search query language or separate security tool keeping security budgets down.

Detect and Block Malware Sites and Phishing Domains

One of the most significant benefits of protective DNS tools is their ability to detect and block access to malware distribution sites and phishing domains. This information can be invaluable when investigating incidents involving malware infections or phishing attacks. HYAS Protect aids investigators by identifying domains linked to malware campaigns and phishing attacks, enhancing the speed and effectiveness of investigations.

During incident response activities, protective DNS logs can be crucial in reconstructing the timeline of events. Investigators can analyze DNS requests and resolutions to understand how an attack unfolded, identify the initial point of compromise, and track lateral movement. With HYAS Protect’s agent-based host DNS visibility investigators can dramatically reduce incident response times by immediately identifying host machines that may be infected and attempting to call out to adversary infrastructure.

By analyzing DNS traffic, investigators can gather insights into the infrastructure used by threat actors. While protective DNS tools themselves may not provide full attribution, Insight by HYAS assists in building a broader picture of the threat landscape, enabling organizations to track and attribute malicious activities with adversary infrastructure more effectively.

Protective DNS tools can highlight abnormal behavior, such as devices communicating with known malicious domains or attempting to access restricted content. This behavior-based approach can aid investigators in identifying compromised systems and hidden threats.

An Extra Layer of Defense

Protective DNS tools offer an additional layer of defense against online threats, but their benefits extend beyond just prevention. Leveraging these tools can greatly enhance cybersecurity investigations by providing insights into potential threats, aiding in the identification of compromised systems, and assisting in the attribution of malicious activities.

Regardless of the vendor you choose, the adoption of protective DNS tools can significantly bolster your organization’s ability to detect, investigate, and respond to cyber incidents effectively.

Enhancing Cybersecurity Investigations With Protective DNS

The Role of Protective DNS In Cybersecurity Investigations

Detect and Block Malware Sites and Phishing Domains

An Extra Layer of Defense

Further Reading