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DNS Over HTTPS (DoH): Security Implications and Best Practices

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On January 30, 2025

In Security

The Domain Name System (DNS) is a cornerstone of the internet, translating human-readable domain names into machine-readable IP addresses. While essential, traditional DNS queries are inherently insecure as they are transmitted in plain text, leaving them vulnerable to interception, manipulation, and surveillance.

DoH is a protocol that encapsulates DNS queries within HTTPS traffic, ensuring they are encrypted and transmitted securely. DoH encrypts DNS queries, preventing third parties, including Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and malicious actors, from intercepting or altering them. By leveraging HTTPS, DoH integrates seamlessly into existing web traffic, making it difficult to distinguish from standard HTTPS communications.

Key Features of DoH:

  1. Encryption: Protects DNS queries from interception and monitoring.
  2. Privacy: Hides DNS queries from ISPs and other intermediaries.
  3. Integrity: Reduces the risk of DNS spoofing and man-in-the-middle attacks.
  4. Compatibility: Works alongside existing HTTPS infrastructure, enabling easier adoption.

Security Implications of DoH

  • Enhanced Privacy for Users

By encrypting DNS queries, DoH prevents ISPs, network administrators, and other intermediaries from monitoring users’ browsing habits. It is especially advantageous for users in areas with strict internet regulations or for individuals prioritizing data privacy.

  • Protection Against DNS Spoofing

Traditional DNS queries are susceptible to spoofing attacks, where malicious actors redirect users to fraudulent websites by providing forged DNS responses. DoH mitigates this risk by encrypting queries and responses, ensuring that only authorized parties can interpret the data.

  • Challenges for Network Security and Monitoring

While DoH enhances user privacy, it complicates network monitoring and threat detection for organizations. Tools like intrusion detection systems (IDS) and content filtering solutions, which depend on analyzing DNS traffic, may face reduced effectiveness. For instance, organizations may find it harder to block access to malicious domains or enforce acceptable use policies.

  • Potential for Abuse by Malicious Actors

Cybercriminals can exploit DoH to hide their DNS queries, effectively evading detection mechanisms. This allows attackers to circumvent conventional DNS-based security tools, complicating efforts to detect and block harmful activities.

  • Centralization of DNS Traffic

The adoption of DoH often involves using public DNS resolvers, such as those provided by Google or Cloudflare. This centralizes DNS traffic, raising concerns about data collection, potential misuse, and the creation of new single points of failure.

Best Practices for Implementing DoH

To fully leverage the benefits of DoH while addressing its challenges, organizations and users should adopt the following best practices:

  • Choose Reputable DoH Providers

Selecting a trustworthy DoH provider is critical to ensuring data privacy and security. Consider providers with a strong commitment to transparency, data protection, and minimal data retention policies.

  • Implement DNS Filtering Solutions

Organizations can adopt DNS filtering solutions that are compatible with DoH. These solutions decrypt and analyze DNS queries securely, enabling content filtering and threat detection without compromising user privacy.

  • Use Enterprise-Grade DoH Solutions

For businesses, deploying enterprise-grade DoH solutions can help balance privacy and security needs. These solutions allow organizations to maintain visibility into DNS traffic while protecting sensitive queries.

  • Educate Users

It is crucial to inform users about both the advantages and limitations of DoH. Training programs should focus on:

  1. Selecting and using reliable DoH providers.
  2. Understanding the risks associated with bypassing corporate DNS policies.
  3. Configuring devices and browsers correctly to ensure secure DoH usage.
  • Monitor and Adapt Security Policies

Organizations should adapt their security policies to account for DoH. This includes:

  1. Updating IDS and other security tools to analyze encrypted DNS traffic.
  2. Configuring firewalls and network devices to support DoH traffic.
  3. Monitoring for anomalies that may indicate malicious use of DoH.
  • Enable DoH on Supported Devices and Browsers

Many modern browsers and operating systems support DoH. Enabling DoH on these platforms ensures secure DNS resolution. For example:

  1. Mozilla Firefox: Offers built-in DoH support with Cloudflare as the default provider.
  2. Google Chrome: Allows users to enable DoH and select their preferred provider.
  3. Windows 11: Provides system-wide DoH settings for enhanced privacy.
  • Balance Privacy and Compliance

To harness the privacy advantages of DoH while adhering to regulatory and compliance requirements, organizations should collaborate with legal and compliance teams to align DoH usage with data protection laws and internal policies.

DNS Over HTTPS (DoH) represents a significant advancement in internet privacy and security. For more information on cybersecurity technologies, contact Centex Technologies at Killeen (254) 213 – 4740, Dallas (972) 375 – 9654, Atlanta (404) 994 – 5074, and Austin (512) 956 – 5454.

 

 

Unmasking the Mechanics of Malware Attacks

By

On May 29, 2023

In Security

Malware attacks have become a universal menace, wreaking havoc on individuals, organizations, and even governments. Malware includes a wide range of malicious software, including viruses, worms, Trojans, ransomware, spyware, and more. Each type of malware operates differently, but they all share the common goal of compromising the security and privacy of computer systems and networks. Let’s take a closer look at how malware attacks work, examining the techniques employed by cybercriminals.

Entry Points:

Malware can infiltrate systems through various entry points such as infected email attachments, malicious downloads, compromised websites, removable media, social engineering techniques, and software vulnerabilities. Cybercriminals often rely on users to open the door for malware by clicking on a malicious link or downloading a file that looks safe but isn’t.

Delivery and Execution:

After compromising an entry point, malware must be delivered and executed on the target system. This may occur in a number of ways:

  • Exploiting Vulnerabilities: Malware developers seek out vulnerabilities in operating systems, applications, and network protocols. By exploiting these vulnerabilities, they can gain unauthorized system access and distribute malware.
  • Drive-by Downloads: Legitimate websites can contain malware. Unsuspecting users visit these compromised sites and automatically download and execute malware.
  • Social Engineering: To trick users into installing malware, cybercriminals employ a variety of social engineering techniques. This may involve impersonating a trusted entity, using persuasive language, or creating a sense of urgency in order to manipulate victims into taking actions that compromise their system’s security.
  • Malvertising: Malware can be distributed by attackers using online advertizing networks. Malicious advertizements are placed on legitimate websites, and when users click on them, they are redirected to malicious websites.

Payload Activation:

Once delivered, the malware must activate its payload, which is the malicious action it intends to perform. These may include stealing sensitive information, encrypting files for ransom, launching distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, establishing backdoors for future access, or any other malicious activity designed to benefit the attacker.

Persistence and Propagation:

To maximize their impact and maintain control over compromised systems, malware often employs persistence and propagation techniques:

  • Malware may use techniques such as modifying system settings, exploiting autostart mechanisms, or installing rootkits to gain control over core system components to remain active and undetected for as long as possible.
  • Some malware software are designed to self-replicate and spread to other vulnerable systems within a network. This enables them to quickly infect a large number of devices, causing widespread damage.

Evading Detection:

To evade detection by antivirus software and security measures, malware authors employ various tactics:

  • Polymorphism: Malware can employ polymorphic techniques, dynamically changing its code to create different variations of itself. This makes it difficult for signature-based detection systems to recognize and block the malware.
  • Encryption and Obfuscation: By encrypting or obfuscating their code, malware authors can make it challenging for security solutions to analyze and understand the malicious intent.
  • Zero-day Exploits: Zero-day attacks take advantage of security vulnerabilities for which there are no patches or defenses. This gives the malware a better chance of working before the vulnerability is found and fixed.

Command and Control (C&C):

Through a command and control server, the attacker remotely control the malware, issue commands, retrieve stolen data, and update the malware with new capabilities or instructions.

Data Exfiltration and Exploitation:

Once the malware has successfully compromised a system, it may proceed to exfiltrate valuable data. This can include personal information, financial data, login credentials, intellectual property, or sensitive corporate information. Attackers can exploit this data for financial gain, identity theft, corporate espionage, or blackmail.

It is important to implement measures to safeguard systems and networks from malware attacks. Centex Technologies provide cybersecurity and computer networking solutions for businesses. For more information, contact Centex Technologies at Killeen (254) 213 – 4740, Dallas (972) 375 – 9654, Atlanta (404) 994 – 5074, and Austin (512) 956 – 5454.

Industrial Control System (ICS) Security: Securing Critical Infrastructure Systems

By

On April 29, 2023

In Security

Industrial Control Systems (ICS) are used to control and monitor industrial processes in various critical infrastructure sectors such as energy, water, transportation, and manufacturing. The security of ICS is critical since any disruption or compromise can lead to significant physical, economic, and environmental consequences. In recent years, the number of cyber-attacks targeting ICS has been increasing, making it more important than ever to secure these systems.

Threat Landscape For ICS Systems

ICS systems are increasingly being targeted by cybercriminals. These attacks can lead to the disruption of operations, damage to equipment, and even the loss of human life. The threat landscape for ICS security includes:

Malware and Ransomware: Malware and ransomware are the most common forms of attacks on ICS. These attacks can cause damage to equipment and disrupt operations.

Insider Threats: Insider threats can be a significant risk for ICS since they have access to sensitive systems and data. An insider threat can be an employee, contractor, or third-party vendor who intentionally or unintentionally causes harm to the system.

Advanced Persistent Threats (APT): APT attacks are sophisticated attacks that are often carried out by cybercriminal groups. These attacks can remain undetected for an extended period and can cause significant damage to ICS.

Denial of Service (DoS) Attacks: DoS attacks can be used to overload a system’s resources, leading to service disruption or failure.

Best Practices for Securing ICS

Conduct a Risk Assessment: Conducting a risk assessment is the first step in securing ICS. This assessment will help organizations identify potential threats and vulnerabilities in their systems.

Implement Access Controls: Access controls are critical to securing ICS. Organizations must ensure that only authorized personnel can access their ICS systems. This can be achieved by implementing strong authentication mechanisms such as two-factor authentication.

Implement Network Segmentation: Network segmentation is the process of dividing a network into smaller segments to limit the spread of an attack. This can help contain the damage caused by a cyber-attack.

Implement Security Monitoring: Security monitoring is critical to detecting and responding to cyber-attacks. Organizations must monitor their ICS systems for suspicious activity and implement security information and event management (SIEM) systems to collect and analyze security event data.

Implement Patch Management: Patch management is critical to ensuring that ICS systems are up-to-date with the latest security patches. Organizations must have a process in place to ensure that all ICS systems are patched regularly.

Conduct Employee Training: Employees play a critical role in securing ICS. Organizations must provide regular training to their employees on the importance of ICS security and the risks associated with cyber-attacks.

Challenges in Securing ICS

Securing ICS can be challenging due to several factors, including:

Legacy Systems: Many ICS systems are built on legacy technology that was not designed with security in mind. These systems can be difficult to patch and secure.

Interconnected Systems: ICS systems are often interconnected with other systems, making it challenging to implement network segmentation.

Limited Resources: Many organizations that operate critical infrastructure systems have limited resources to devote to ICS security.

Lack of Security Expertise: Many organizations lack the necessary security expertise to secure their ICS systems. This can make it challenging to implement best practices for ICS security.

For more information about security systems for Industrial Control Systems, contact Centex Technologies. You can contact Centex Technologies at Killeen (254) 213 – 4740, Dallas (972) 375 – 9654, Atlanta (404) 994 – 5074, and Austin (512) 956 – 5454.

Expert Tips for Safe Internet Banking

By

On January 19, 2023

In Security

PDF Version: Expert-Tips-for-Safe-Internet-Banking

How To Tell If Your Device Is Affected By Cryptojacking?

By

On August 31, 2022

In Security

As a form of cybercrime, “cryptojacking” includes the illegal use of victims’ equipment (personal computers, mobile phones, tablets, and even servers) to “mine” for bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. A victim’s computer may be infected with cryptojacking software via phishing, code download from fraudulent websites, or other malicious techniques. Cryptojacking can also occur via code embedded in digital advertizements or web pages that are only activated when the victim visits a particular website.

Why should you be worried about hackers cryptojacking your devices?

A sluggish computer and a larger electricity bill are classic indicators of cryptojacking attacks on a personal laptop used at home. Targeted crypto mining on a massive scale might cause severe damage to a business. System failures and downtime impair sales and corporate productivity and transform expensive, high-performance servers into costly, low-performance servers. As computational resources are diverted from their intended use to suit the needs of cryptocurrency miners, operational costs inevitably increase. Furthermore, the presence of cryptocurrency mining software on the network is indicative of more serious cybersecurity concern.

How to tell if your devices have been Cryptojacked?

The objective of cryptojacking is to mine more cryptocurrency while going undetected for as long as possible. Cryptojacking malware is made to utilize as much power as it requires while remaining undetected. There are several indicators that cryptojacking malware has been installed on your computer. Some of these are:

  • Slower working of devices

The efficiency of computing devices is lowered by cryptojacking. Be wary of gadgets that operate slowly, crash, or have particularly poor performance. You should also pay attention to decreased system performance. Batteries that deplete more quickly than they normally would are another sign.

  • Increase in heat dissipation by the processor and CPU fan

If your computer gets too hot, which might be the result of a cryptojacking website or software, the fan will speed up to cool things down. A cryptojacking script may be present on a website or computer if the user notices that their device is overheating and the CPU fan is constantly operating at a greater speed.

  • Heavy utilization of CPU or computational resources

If your CPU usage goes up when you visit a site with few or no media files, this could be a sign that cryptojacking scripts are running. You can test for cryptojacking by keeping an eye on how much the CPU is being used. You can use the Activity Monitor or Task Manager to check this.

  • Quicker battery discharge

Due to an increase in CPU utilization and fan speed, the power consumption of devices and computing systems increases dramatically. This causes the battery to deplete faster. Therefore, if you observe that the device’s battery is draining quickly, this could be a symptom of cryptojacking

  • Increased electricity costs due to cryptojacking

An increase in power consumption by the infected devices leads to higher electricity usage. An unexpected spike in electric power consumption can also be a possible indicator of devices being infected by cryptojacking malware

Centex Technologies provide cybersecurity and network security solutions to businesses. For more information, you can contact Centex Technologies at Killeen (254) 213 – 4740, Dallas (972) 375 – 9654, Atlanta (404) 994 – 5074, and Austin (512) 956 – 5454.

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