Adequate protection is crucial these days, especially when we have access to a variety of networks, sensitive information and a plethora of devices. Using a good DNS Firewall is essential, and a lot of the time it can make a massive difference. Hence the reason why it’s a very good idea to understand what is a DNS Firewall and what are its benefits.

What is a DNS Firewall?

The DNS Firewall is basically a security solution meant to filter as well as control DNS queries before they are reaching external websites or internet services. What this does is it acts as a protective layer between users and the internet, as it examines the DNS requests and it blocks connections to domains worldwide that are known to be suspicious, not authorized or malicious. 
Unlike a regular firewall who focuses on inspecting the network traffic after the connection was established, this one is more powerful. It helps stop the threat during the DNS lookup process. In case the domain appears on a blacklist or it violates any security policies, it ends up being blocked before anything harmful gets downloaded. In today’s world where a lot of info is kept on local devices, having malware or any intrusions on your device can be very problematic. Hence the reason why it makes sense to use a DNS firewall.

It prevents malware infections

One of the major upsides for a DNS Firewall is that it can help prevent malware infections. It gives you an opportunity to keep any malware away from your device. That can prevent data loss, and it certainly protects you in the long term from dangerous websites. And yes, it can identify any threats as they are accessed, thus blocking them in no time.
You also have better protection against the phishing attacks as well. the DNS Firewall will block fraudulent websites which try to imitate a legitimate business. What this does is it helps protect users from financial fraud and credential theft, too.

Lowering the risks of ransomware

A lot of ransomware attacks start with users entering a malicious website. But if you use a DNS Firewall, the chances of accessing those ransomware domains and entering them is a lot lower. That’s why it makes a lot of sense to use this type of solution, and the results can be second to none in the end.
One of the upsides here is that DNS Firewalls will stop communication with the malicious servers. Those won’t receive instructions, nor will they transmit any stolen data. Instead, the DNS firewall can block all communication, limit the impact of that infection, all of which can be incredibly problematic. 

Better network visibility

A great thing that the DNS Firewall does is it gives an admin insight into the DNS traffic. You will know exactly who accesses what, if there are unusual domain requests, security incidents and so on. All of that helps improve the process, and it conveys that much-needed result in ways that you rarely expect. 
With that in mind, you also have a more simplistic security management system, too. And yes, you will be able to apply the centralized DNS filtering policies instead of configuring security rules on a single device. It just makes things easier, better, and you will appreciate the consistency provided in more ways than one. Rest assured that in the long run, the DNS Firewall has a lot of upsides, and being able to enhance security is a crucial part of this process.

Great remote work support

One of the upsides when it comes to DNS Firewalls is that they do offer great support for remote work. You can safeguard employees if they are at home, travelling or at the office. It becomes much easier to prevent any issues, focus on results, and the outcome as a whole is among some of the best on the market. Plus, in doing this, you are also blocking access to harmful content.
And on top of that, you can boost the regulatory compliance, not to mention it becomes much easier to reduce data exfiltration, so you don’t have to deal with situations where your sensitive data gets transmitted to random sources. It just helps immensely, and it conveys a much better outcome than you expect in the end. Yes, it does have its fair share of challenges as you implement it, but once you do, it’s totally worth it.

Conclusion

The role of a DNS Firewall is to be more than a traditional tool. It filters the DNS requests, it blocks malicious sites before the connection is established, and it can also prevent access to harmful websites. Plus, you can access threat intelligence and domain reputation. All in all, it’s great for business use cases, but also professionals who want way more protection than a regular firewall would provide.