Why You Should Filter DNS

What, how, and why. As a consumer, when you’re attempting to understand the value of something (be it a product or a service), these are the three most important questions to ask. What is the product? How does it work? Why does it exist, and why do you need it?

We’ve covered DNS filtering extensively — what it is and how it works. Today, we’ll explore why you should filter DNS.

What is DNS Filtering?

As a refresher, DNS-based web filtering is the act of categorizing and sifting through online content, blocking unsafe and unwanted sites in the process. Every individual web page is assigned an identifying string of numbers known as an IP address. When we access content, however, we don’t use these numbers. Rather, we rely on words and names that are easier to remember. Instead of typing “69.63.181.15” into your address bar, you can type “facebook.com” and let DNS servers connect you. 

DNS is a foundational element of the internet, considering that everything connected to the internet has an IP address — computers, smartphones, tablets, wearables, and websites. The best way to filter digital content, therefore, involves DNS.

Why Should You Filter DNS?

Given its versatility, DNS filtering offers users advanced customization features. Depending upon the needs of your organization, you can choose which types of content are permissible and which to block, specific to your company’s needs. In addition, by enabling DNS-based web filtering, you safeguard your users against malicious content. Let’s take a look at the four main benefits of filtering DNS. 

For Greater Productivity and Increased Efficiency

DNS filtering helps solve a problem so many of us face on the internet: distraction. Everything is accessible to us with the click of a button. It’s useful for getting work done, but because we can access social media, dating sites, online shopping, entertainment, and news on the same device we use for work, it quickly slows productivity. More people than ever are working remotely and in less supervised capacities. What’s more, a report that explored how COVID-19 changed the way people work found that over half of remote employees view inappropriate content on the same device they use for work. How, then, can your organization ensure that your employees remain on task? You implement a DNS filtering solution. 

DNS filters can prevent your users from accessing content categories known to distract them. Block content like personal blogs, games, sports, social media, and entertainment. With a simple set-up, you can keep your team from visiting sites like Facebook and Amazon without having to establish invasive surveillance. 

For Safe Browsing

Another reason you should use DNS filtering is to avoid unwanted and illegal content while you browse the web. Just as you can block websites that reduce your productivity, you can block inappropriate content. DNS filtering can identify and block content that includes:

• Adult Content
• Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs
• Gambling
• P2P and Illegal
• Terrorism and Hate
• Unmoderated Chat Rooms
• Weapons

DNS filters will ban websites that contain pornographic material, triggering content, as well as racist, sexist, and violent information or experiences. 

For Compliance

Along a similar vein, DNS filters can assist your organization in gaining compliance with internet regulations. 

NIST compliance and CMMC compliance have become major factors recently when it comes to companies looking to obtain work as government contractors. Protective DNS is an important part of both NIST and CMMC, meaning companies are one step closer to achieving compliance with PDNS deployed.

Schools and libraries can become compliant with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) by restricting access to inappropriate internet content. If your organization has specific company standards which forbid employees or network users from accessing certain content, DNS-based web filters are a simple way to maintain compliance. 

For Security

DNS filters are a fantastic tool for limiting a user’s access to unproductive, inappropriate, and illegal content. They’re also a crucial layer in an effective cybersecurity defense. Protective DNS measures prevent you from interacting with malicious internet threats. 

When you filter DNS, you are protecting your network against malware, phishing scams, ransomware, cryptojacking, and other common cyber attacks. Each time you request access to a website, DNS protection services will compare the domain’s IP address to databases of known and suspected threats. If the destination contains content that has been deemed malicious, you will be rerouted to safety. If your DNS filtering solution utilizes artificial intelligence for threat categorization, you’ll also be protected against zero-day attacks.

How Do You Add DNS Filtering to Your Network?

DNS filtering solutions are surprisingly quick to implement. They can be deployed in a matter of minutes, and are easy to customize to the needs of your organization—as long as you pick the right one. 

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DNSFilter, as the name suggests, offers a powerful DNS filtering solution. We provide security and peace of mind to our customers, blocking more than one million malicious and deceptive websites each and every day. We’ve quickly grown to become a leader in DNS security with AI-powered content categorization and the industry’s largest DNS network. If you’re interested in adding DNS filtering to your network, start your 14-day free trial today.