The internet is the best thing since sliced bread. This is especially true for many researchers, marketers, shoppers, and... procrastinators. Without it, they’d be truly lost in the 21st century. Unfortunately, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. As an internet user, you don’t have to go far to notice the dangers of the digital world. With increased interconnectivity, it has become easier than ever for hackers to breach devices and destroy sensitive data.
Of course, deploying endpoint protection, encryption systems, data backup, and a disaster recovery plan is a necessity, but to quickly block domains that deliver malware to your computer, you need network security tools like OpenDNS. Before we explain how OpenDNS can save you a world of trouble, it’s best to explain what DNS is first.
Understanding DNS
Domain Name System, or DNS, is used to translate human-readable host names into machine-readable IP addresses. For example, we all know that typing www.facebook.com on the address bar takes us to the social networking website, but this line of text has no significance to any computer or networking device.
Under the hood of your web browser, numerical IP addresses are used to locate different websites in the internet. In this case, Facebook’s IP address is 173.252.120.6. The reason we use domain names is because it’s memorable and people can’t recall sequences of numbers for different websites. Just think about the thousands of websites you visit on a daily basis! Much like your mobile phone’s contact list, DNS helps you remember the name of the person you want to contact and not their number.
However, if a DNS server were compromised, hackers could redirect your computer to a phony IP address and you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Once you’ve stepped into the hacker's domain, they are free to install malware and spyware on your computer and obtain your login credentials. This is where third-party DNS servers like OpenDNS stand out. Instead of using the default public DNS server that your internet service provider (ISP) chose for you, OpenDNS performs many of the same functions with minimal setup and offers a cloud-delivered network security service that defends your business in several ways.
Web content filtering
You can configure OpenDNS to block access to any number and any type of website. For example, you can choose to deny access to gambling, social media, online shopping, and pornographic websites within your business network.
This helps your business in two ways. Firstly, you can increase employee productivity by denying access to websites that have no place in the office. After all, wasted time means more money leaving your pocket, and you aren’t paying your employees to sit around watching YouTube videos all day. Secondly, you can protect your employees from interacting with malicious materials in questionable websites. Shady online gambling, shopping, video streaming, and porn websites are known to display pop-up ads that carry viruses and other malware you don’t want anywhere near your systems.
Do be aware that you need to allow access to certain websites depending on your business. For instance, if a large part of your marketing efforts are centered around Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and so on, it makes no sense to block social networking sites.
Phishing protection
Phishing is an attempt to pose as a legitimate company or person to bait a victim to willingly surrender their confidential information. Nowadays, it’s common for hackers to manipulate their victims rather than exploiting system vulnerabilities with malware and brute-force attacks. In fact, Kaspersky found their Anti-Phishing systems had detected almost 35,000,000 phishing attempts on users in the first quarter of this year alone.
Without the appropriate network security service, the onus of protecting your business’s IT infrastructure is on you and your employees. But there’s always a chance you and your employees could accidentally click on a fake link, email, or pop-up ad. Another scam is when users are tricked by phishing links mimicking popular websites. For instance, typos in domain names like Faceboook.com or Tripadvsor.com may seem innocent, but in reality these spoofed websites contain a cesspool of malware and are usually a hacker’s entryway to your sensitive data.
Using their comprehensive security database, OpenDNS can automatically detect and block known phishing websites. It also inspects domains and IP addresses that may contain a malicious element and quickly diverts users to a block server page as soon as it confirms the URL is fraudulent. Additionally, OpenDNS’s Brand Watch allows you to check whether specific domain names aren’t using deceptive typographical errors to trick you into a phishing website. All this enables you to confidently browse the internet without encountering malicious bait.
Malware defense
When a computer is infected by malware, the program is designed to “phone home” to other botnets to further damage your systems. OpenDNS essentially prevents malware from doing this, giving security administrators enough time to install security patches, antivirus definitions, and software updates -- removing viruses from computers faster than malware gets installed.
If you value browsing the internet, you should value your DNS’s security. There’s no question that antivirus tools are critical for network security, but it’s simply not enough against the array of cyberattacks proliferating today. To fully protect your systems, OpenDNS can save you from the costly consequences of phishing attacks and malware infections. And, considering the added benefits of low setup costs, increased internet speed, worry-free software maintenance, and web content filtering to increase employee productivity, OpenDNS should be a no-brainer for any business, large or small.
Here at Onsite Computing, we believe there's no substitute for expertise when it comes to cybersecurity. Our experienced IT consultants will evaluate your system’s vulnerabilities and offer you security solutions that can help you stay one step ahead of hackers. Whether it’s antivirus solutions, disaster recovery, or OpenDNS, Onsite Computing has what you need. Contact us to protect your IT systems today.
