Nixon Digital

What is DNSSEC, and Why Does It Matter for Your Domains?

What is DNSSEC, and Why Does It Matter for Your Domains?

As organizations expand their digital footprint, managing and securing a large number of domains becomes more complex. While SSL certificates and HTTPS are essential for securing the communication between your website and users, there’s another critical layer of security that’s often overlooked: DNSSEC.

What is DNSSEC?

DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions) is a security protocol designed to protect the integrity of DNS lookups—the process of translating domain names into IP addresses. When users visit your website, their devices need to resolve the domain name through DNS servers. However, these DNS lookups are vulnerable to certain types of attacks, like cache poisoning and man-in-the-middle attacks. 
 
Without DNSSEC, attackers can intercept these lookups, redirecting your users to malicious sites that appear legitimate. This could result in phishing attacks, data theft, or other cybersecurity breaches. DNSSEC ensures that DNS responses come from an authentic source by adding cryptographic signatures to the DNS records, preventing attackers from tampering with the process. 

Why DNSSEC Matters for Your Business

For any business managing a portfolio of domains, the risks associated with unprotected DNS queries are substantial. DNS hijacking not only puts your users at risk but can severely damage your brand’s reputation. A successful attack could lead to loss of trust, lawsuits, or even fines under data protection laws like GDPR. 
 
DNSSEC mitigates these risks by verifying the authenticity of DNS responses. It adds an extra layer of defense, ensuring that your users aren’t being unknowingly redirected to malicious websites. 

Challenges of Managing DNSSEC at Scale

If you manage a handful of domains, enabling DNSSEC may seem straightforward. But what if you’re a multinational organization with hundreds of domains spread across multiple regions? Monitoring DNSSEC status manually for each domain is a daunting task. 
 
Many organizations rely on spreadsheets or manual tracking to keep tabs on their domain settings. This method is prone to errors and can quickly become outdated. In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, this approach is no longer sufficient. With the constant risk of cyberattacks, organizations need a more reliable and scalable solution to ensure their domains remain secure. 

How the Nixon Platform Can Help

The Nixon Platform simplifies the process of managing DNSSEC across large domain portfolios. By providing a centralized dashboard, it offers visibility into the DNSSEC status of all your domains in real-time. This allows you to quickly identify vulnerabilities and take corrective action before they become serious security issues. 
 
Additionally, the Nixon Platform ensures that your web infrastructure is continuously monitored, so you don’t have to worry about falling behind on essential security updates. It helps you maintain the integrity of your domains, safeguard your users, and protect your brand’s reputation.

Conclusion

In today’s digital world, the security of your DNS is just as important as the visible aspects of your website. DNSSEC protects the backbone of your web presence, preventing attackers from exploiting DNS vulnerabilities. For businesses managing multiple domains, ensuring DNSSEC is implemented and functioning properly can be a complex challenge—but it’s one that can be easily managed with the right tools. 
 
The Nixon Platform offers a seamless way to monitor and manage DNSSEC across all your domains, giving you peace of mind that your digital assets are secure and your users are protected. Don’t leave your domains exposed to unnecessary risks—take action today. 

 

Interested in how Nixon can help you simplify your website security management? Contact one of our experts today to learn more. 

 

And while you’re here, try the Nixon Digital Tracker Checker: a free Chrome extension to check if your cookie banners and tracking practices are working right. While it doesn’t apply to dangling DNS, it’s a helpful tool to see if your consent settings are up to standard. You can install and try it, all within a minute.

If you’d like to learn more, schedule a meeting with one of our experts here.