What Is a Historical DNS Database and What Is It For?
iStock Analyst – Charles Teitelman
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a crucial component of the internet that translates domain names into IP addresses, making it easier for humans to access websites
DNS records are stored in a database, which contains the current DNS records of every domain name
A historical DNS database, on the other hand, records all the IP addresses that domain names resolved to over a given period of time
This database typically contains three columns: domain name, time stamp, and IP addresses
The domain name column lists the domain names collated over a specific period, the time stamp column indicates when the domains were last accessed, and the IP addresses column lists all the IP addresses the domain pointed to over the specified period
DNS data is particularly useful in cybersecurity for the following purposes:
1) IoC List Expansion: Threat hunters can use DNS data to uncover threat associations given a domain or an IP address, allowing them to block all possible threat vectors.
2) Cybersecurity Solution Enhancement: Integrating DNS data into anti-malware solutions can extend their capabilities, enabling them to block access to and from connected IP addresses or domains.
3) Attack Surface Management: DNS databases can be used to ensure all digital properties are properly secured by checking if domains’ DNS records are up-to-date and not pointing to malicious IP addresses
It can also help identify all web properties, including dangling, forgotten, or unused ones, to prevent domain takeover attacks
In addition to cybersecurity, DNS databases can also be used for brand protection and market intelligence gathering.
Link: https://www.istockanalyst.click/what-is-historical-dns-database