UConn is introducing a potential cybersecurity enhancement.

The Domain Name System (DNS) acts as a “phonebook” for the Internet by translating a user friendly URL such as www.uconn.edu to a network friendly IP address your computer can use.  The majority of security threats – malware, phishing, or ransomware – rely on the Domain Name System (DNS) to carry out their attacks.  ITS proposes adding a layer of protection using our existing DNS infrastructure to inhibit the “phone home” aspect of many attacks.

On November 20, ITS will begin auditing DNS queries against a known list of bad DNS requests.  There will be no expected impact during this phase as its purpose will be to merely evaluate the accuracy and efficacy of the approach.  We are tentatively scheduled to begin blocking known, bad requests in January 2020.  At this time, access attempts to listed malicious sites will instead be redirected to a notification explaining the reason for the block and outlining a process for requesting a review of sites that may be inadvertently blocked.

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