Browsing: DNS

DDoS protection: Why is it important?

DDoS protection

DDoS protection is crucial for any online organization that focuses on staying online. It provides a guarantee that your service or website won’t be affected if a DDoS attack is initiated. So, let’s explain a little bit more!

DDoS attack – definition

DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack is a popular cyber threat that sends massive amounts of traffic to its target – network, system, server.

The goal is to exceed the capacity of the resources and make the victim unable to answer requests of the regular customers. Then, finally, the victim gets completely unable to operate.

Usually, DDoS attacks are initiated towards:

  • Websites for online shopping
  • Any types of companies and organizations that provide online services

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Ping command – How to use it?

Ping command

Ping command – Definition

The Ping command is a small and simple utility tool with a command-line interface (CLI). It is very helpful for network diagnosing and probing a specific host or IP address (IPv4 address or IPv6 address). When you use the Ping command, you actually send data packets utilizing the ICMP (internet control message protocol) from your computer to a target. By default, the packets are going to be 4 each with a 32-byte size. Moreover, you will receive the time it was needed for each of them to reach the target. The statistics will also show you the minimum, maximum, and average time (in milliseconds) required for the road. Another interesting piece of information is the portion of lost packets, and of course, you will receive the IP address of the target.

In brief, the Ping command transfers data packets from your computer to a target and expects the packets to bounce. When they come back, you can see the statistics. 

Learn more about the Ping command!

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What does TTL mean?

TTL

TTL – meaning

Time To Live (TTL) is the value that indicates how long the data should be stored in a particular device. A lot of data pieces hold their own TTL value.

If we speak about DNS TTL, it refers to the time the DNS resolvers have to store the DNS records in their cache memory. Every DNS record also has its own TTL value. Some of them have longer TTL because the chance is less for the value to change. Yet, others have shorter TTL values, where changes more often happen. 

Here is a basic illustration of values as an orientation for your DNS records:

  • A and AAAA records – 2 hours (7200 seconds)
  • CNAME records – up to 12 hours (43200 seconds)
  • TXT records – up to 12 hours (43200 seconds)
  • MX records – 1 hour (3600 seconds)

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DMARC record – Why is it important?

DMARC record

As a domain owner, for sure, you should consider implementing the DMARC record. When you own a website, it is essential to build a trustable connection with your customers. That includes ensuring them that the emails they receive are sent from you and not someone else. 

The conversation between you and your visitors must remain transparent. So, let’s explain a little bit more about the DMARC record and why it is so important!

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DNS SRV record explained

DNS SRV record

Let’s investigate one more complicated DNS recourse record, the DNS SRV record. It is a very important one that points not only to the service, its location but also the exact port that it uses for communication. Let’s see the DNS SRV record in detail.

What is the DNS SRV record?

The DNS SRV record (service record) is a DNS record that is used to show the service’s port and hostname. What makes it different from other DNS records is that it specifies port too, and not the only hostname. That way, you can set through which port you want to be used a specified service.

How to configure SRV record?

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What is ccTLD?

ccTLD

Are you planning how to succeed on the Internet? To plan strategic moves sometimes requires diving into lots of abbreviations, terms, technology names, processes, etc., a little bit hard to understand. So, if you got stuck wondering what ccTLD is, here you have the explanation.

What is TLD?

TLD means top-level domain. Domain names have a clear structure. Each of its components is separated by a dot. On the left, the subdomain is located. Then the SLD or second-level domain comes. This component is easy to recognize for everybody because it’s the name of the business or brand the domain is about. Then, finally the TLD, that also is easy to identify since most extensions have become really popular: .org, .com, .gov, .uk, .net, etc. There is a “.” after it that represents the root domain, but this will be for another time.

Actually, you are very familiar with this structure. Just see this example: www.example.com. On the left, you have the subdomain “www”, “example” is the SLD, and finally, the TLD is “.com”. 

The structure obeys the DNS (domain name system), the international system used to translate domain names to IP addresses for the Internet. 

Types of TLDs.

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What is an MX record in DNS?

MX record

The Domain Name System (DNS) is a complicated solution that links domain names to their IP addresses. The purpose is to make it easier for people. We remember names that we can easily write and keep in our memory and get to sites, that we need to know their location on the network – their IP addresses.

The DNS works with text commands that computers understand. These commands are called DNS records, and they are saved on DNS nameservers. In our case, we will explore the MX record and what other types of records you will need with it for a functional mail server.

How to start managing MX records for your domain name?

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Domain Name System Security Extension (DNSSEC).

Domain Name System Security Extension (DNSSEC)

DNSSEC is a group of different protocols and specifications for adding a security layer to the Domain Name System and all its processes. From the look-ups to all the exchange of data.

Those extensions supply DNS resolvers security through authenticated denial of existence, cryptographic authentication of DNS information, and information integrity.

It was created by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). Mainly because the Domain Name System’s design originally didn’t include security aspects. In the early times of its use, different vulnerabilities were detected. Then this DNSSEC was developed. Creators chose to give this system the shape of extensions to make it easier to add them to the rest of the DNS infrastructure already in use.

Learn more about how DNSSEC service works!

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