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What is DNS (Domain Name System)?

What is Domain Name System?

The domain name system can be compared to a phonebook directory that stores domain names and translates them to IP (Internet Protocol) addresses. Without a DNS the internet would be unable to function.

A domain name server mapped the computer readable information into a piece of human–readable information. This was necessary as an IP address consists of a complex string of numbers that are difficult to remember.

So, when you type in a web address in your internet browser the DNS translates it into machine friend IP address and directs you to the correct website. Furthermore, all the domain name servers across the internet are together housed at the central registry. So, to get the updated DNS information host companies and service providers must constantly interact with the central registry.

To Top it off:

It takes 12-36 hours for the domain name server to be updated worldwide. This period is also known as propagation.

How Does Domain Name Server work?

This is a shout out to all the domain owners if they want to understand how a Domain Name Server works.

Let’s get started

The internet is a large network of computers around the world. DNS is a hierarchical system that fetches data with the help of DNS servers. For example, when people visit your domain name the DNS determines that server.

Let us first understand how the hierarchy works to produce a website to your screen. But before that, you need a basic understanding of elements that comprise a domain name.

Top Level Domain (TLD)

A TLD is the last part of a domain name for example .com. The most common used TLDs are .com, .net, .eu, .org, .ae etc. In the hierarchy, TLDs are at the top with regards to the domain names.

Second Level Domain

It is that part of a domain name that comes before a TLD. This is the name of your website.

Third Level Domain

This is also known as a subdomain. Anything that appears before the second level domain for e.g. www. But this can take many forms e.g. kb.buzinessware.com

Domain Name Register

Domain name register manages domain name reservations. ICANN grants permission to organizations to act as domain name registrars for certain higher-level domains.

Name Server

A name server consists of domain names matched to IP addresses.

Let us now look at how the domain name server works.

When a user types a domain name into the browser, the DNS client will look for information in a local cache. If a requested address isn’t there, then it will look for a Domain Name Systems severe in the local area network (LAN). When the local DNS server receives a query and when the requested domain name is found it will show you the result on your screen.

As we know when a domain is not found the local server will look for information in a DNS cache which contains temporary DNS records. DNS cache servers are called not authoritative DNS server as provide request resolution based acquired from authoritative DNS server.

An Authoritative Top-Level Domain Name Server provides a list of authoritative name servers for all domains. Its primary job is to look for name servers and return the authoritative name server for the requested domain.

To sum up

Thanks to the DNS server we can enjoy human-readable names to access websites. Though computers do need IP addresses also to access websites. With the help of a DNS, we don’t need an address directory to store all the IP addresses.

Remember:

When we use a domain name, the DNS service locates the website and translates the name into an IP address. Moreover, without a Domain Name Server internet wouldn’t be accessible or user-friendly.

Now join Buzinessware and enjoy access to various new extensions and the most relevant and meaningful names for your start-up. Also, manage your domain name which will connect quickly and reliably to your website.

How Much Does a Domain Name Cost?

Planning an online venture???

To begin with, you will have to secure a domain name. Without a domain name, you can’t exist on the internet. There are millions of websites on the internet. If you want to make your website stand out from others, then you will need a unique and easy to remember domain name. Basically, a domain name is your website name developed to identify computers.

You should choose a domain name that will represent your company’s products and services.

Question: How much does a domain name Cost?

The cost of a domain name will depend on the registrar you choose. Each domain registrar will charge a different price depending on the set of packages and perks. A domain can be as cheap as $10 or as expensive as 16 million. The cost of a domain name will also depend on the domain extension. The more popular domain extensions are .com, .net, .org .info, .biz, .ae domain which fall under the TLD (Top Level Domains) The cost of top-level domains is never stable. The newer domain extensions are .design, .global and. Cheap. The domain extensions have add- on features that you need to select at the time of registration.

Fact: The most expensive domain names are the ones available at auction houses through private sellers.

The domain prices keep changing as long as buying and selling of domains will go on.

To begin with web hosting, you can invest the minimum on a domain and web hosting services. Depending on the type of hosting you choose the cost will vary.

Domain Registrar Scams

This is another tactic used by untrustworthy registrars giving discounted prices to the buyers. These registrars offer discounts if a domain is purchased for a longer duration. The scammers play safe with no refund policy just in case the customer wants his money back. Therefore, it is necessary to learn a few tricks before purchasing a domain.

Aftermarket Domain

An aftermarket domain is a secondary market for internet domain names. If you’re interested in acquiring an already registered domain, then you can bid or negotiate a price for from the seller for that domain.

Aftermarket domains are new entities by themselves. They hold onto domains until someone comes with a good bid for it. The value of these domains depends on branding, traffic, and simplicity. Some domains available are very expensive and you might end up paying in thousands for a specific domain name that you want.

To sum up

The cost of a domain usually depends on search engine rankings, traffic, and usage of keywords.

For a beginner, the price of a domain name can be overwhelming. Don’t fall for cheap domain packages as they usually have hidden costs. A costly package will be loaded with additional tools that will help you to build your website faster.

Nevertheless, domain names are vital for your business’s success in the web world. A domain name should align with your company. If you’re, keen on a specific domain name for your company then you will have to pay a high price for it. Whereas for others who are registering a new domain name will have to pay a minimal cost.

A word of caution:

Look for hidden fees, discounts and scams in the domain agreement.

Sea Turtle Campaign is Hijacking DNS and Harvesting Credentials in UAE

A new cyber threat campaign has been discovered by Cisco Talos which goes by the name Sea Turtle. This cyber threat is not only targeting public and private entities but also national security organizations in UAE and North Africa. The actors behind this campaign use DNS hijacking to achieve their objectives.

It has been discovered by cybersecurity experts that Sea Turtle, a malicious campaign, aims at hijacking DNS to steal credentials and other sensitive information.

What is DNS Hijacking?

It is a malicious attack wherein a query to a Domain Name server are redirected to a server owned by malicious agents, rather than the server the request was originally meant for. In many cases, actors hack websites and change the DNS addresses so that the visitors end up visiting a completely different online destination.

Let’s take a look:

According to cyber security experts, Sea Turtle has affected 40 different national security organizations in the Middle East and North Africa. The geographic locations of sea turtle victims show countries like Turkey, Armenia, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, UAE, Egypt, Libya, Lebanon, Cyprus, Albania as primary targets. On 24^th of January, 2019 The Department of Homeland Security issued an alert about this activity warning about the attackers’ intentions.

Who is most affected by this?

Sea Turtle most targets the third-party entities such as DNS registrars, telecommunication companies, and internet service providers in the US and Sweden. Their primary victims are usually national security organizations, ministries of foreign affairs, and energy organizations from the Middle East and North Africa.

By now you may be wondering how does the attacker work?

Let me explain:

1. The attacker gets initial access to the entity.

2. Next, the attacker moves through the network and gets access to the credentials.

3. The attacker exfiltrates material from the network.

4. Then through the compromised credentials, the attacker gets access to the DNS registry.

5. Later the attacker issues an UPDATE command to use the actor-controlled name server.

6. So, when the victim sends a DNS request to a target domain it receives a response from the actor- controlled server.

7. Next, the actor-controlled server sends a falsified record pointed by the MitM (Man- in -the -Middle) server.

8. The victim unknowingly enters his credentials in the MitM server.

9. Next, the attacker harvests the victim’s credentials from the MitM server.

10. And then the attacker passes the victims credentials to the legitimate server.

11. And finally, the attacker gains authentication that of as the victim.

The truth is:

That Sea Turtle campaigns have been operating over two years now and these cyber-attacks are continuing despite clear documentation of this methodology by cyber-security experts.
This clearly highlights the need for security focussed organizations to have a robust safety net which safeguards against the Sea Turtle like attacks.

Buzinessware is well equipped to tackle such threats and provide security to its customers data from such attackers. To learn more about our cybersecurity plans CONTACT US NOW!

This is how Buzinessware protects you from Sea Turtle!

What Is Domain Privacy? Why Is It Important?

If you’re wondering whether you need a domain privacy protection for your website, then the answer is YES!

We live in a web world of scammers and spammers who are lurking around to steal our identity. Therefore, your business deserves privacy protection from these unwanted invaders.

When you purchase a domain from any registrar/hosts there are several add- on features available to choose. One of the add-on features is that of WHOIS Privacy Protection.

What is WHOIS?

WHOIS is a database that stores information of consumers such as their address and contact details along with their registered domain.

Here’s the scary part:

This information is made available to everyone over the internet thanks to WHOIS listings. Yes, you heard that right! To avoid this misfortune to need to purchase domain privacy protection. This blog will explain the importance of domain privacy and its benefits.

Here’s how it works:

A Domain Privacy Protection service will hide all your data and ensure that your business runs smoothly. You can purchase domain privacy at the time of registration.

Protects Personal Data

When you purchase WHOIS privacy your personal information will be hidden and instead information of your domain registrar will be visible to internet users.

Note: If you’re thinking of providing false information at the time of registration, then kindly abort this idea as anyone can report it to ICANN (Internet Association for Assigned Names and Numbers). ICANN allows registrars to monitor consumers data in case of any discrepancies.

Avert Domain Name Hijacking

Be sure to lock your domain name as this can be easily done with simple settings on the registrar’s domain name management page. This will prevent your domain name on being hijacked by hackers.

Avoid Spam Calls/Emails

Imagine if your data falls into the wrong hands then you might just be a victim to spam calls and emails. So, when you enable the domain privacy this scenario will be avoided, and all those spam calls and emails will be barred.

Prevent Competitors Doing Market Research

Domain privacy protection will keep prying eyes of your competitors away from any of your product lease details. Competitors are always on a lookout to steal ideas for their own business strategies and to prevent this you need to have domain privacy protection services.

To sum up:

Now that you’ve understood the benefits of domain privacy protection it would be a wise step to purchase one. If you want to protect vital information from reaching the hands of hackers and competitors, then domain privacy protection is the way to go about.

Say goodbye to Spam Calls and Emails with the help of Domain Protection Privacy!!!