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Looking for secure (and free) DNS? Quad 9 is your new best friend

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  • Those in the security space may already be aware of the secure DNS service provided by Quad9. For those who have not heard of this free service, Quad9 is a public Domain Name System (DNS) service that provides a more secure and privacy-focused alternative to traditional DNS services. DNS is the system that translates human-readable domain names (like www.google.com) into IP addresses that computers use to identify each other on the internet.

    Quad9 is known for its emphasis on security and privacy. It uses threat intelligence from various cybersecurity companies to block access to known malicious websites and protect users from accessing harmful content. When a user makes a DNS query, Quad9 checks the requested domain against a threat intelligence feed, and if the domain is flagged as malicious, Quad9 blocks access to it.

    One notable feature of Quad9 is its commitment to user privacy. Quad9 does not store any personally identifiable information about its users, and it does not sell or share user data.

    https://www.quad9.net/

    Users can configure their devices or routers to use Quad9 as their DNS resolver to take advantage of its security and privacy features. The DNS server addresses for Quad9 are usually 9.9.9.9 and 149.112.112.112.

    The name “Quad9” is derived from the service’s use of four DNS servers in different geographic locations to provide redundancy and improve reliability. Users can configure their devices or routers to use the Quad9 DNS servers, and doing so can offer an additional layer of protection against malware, phishing, and other online threats. It’s important to note that while Quad9 can enhance security, it is not a substitute for other security measures such as antivirus software and good internet security practices, and if you are not using these technologies already, then you are leaving yourself open to compromise.

    I’d strongly recommend you take a look at Quad9. Not only is it fast, but it seems to be extremely solid, and well thought out. If you’re using Cloudflare for your DNS, Quad9 is actually faster.

  • @phenomlab thanks for sharing. this will be very useful for me.

  • @crazycells Agreed. I’m using it now, and have been all afternoon. Super stable and very secure.

  • I’ve been using this service for a couple of days now, and it’s made my internet access so much faster. That alone is a plus, and I never thought there would be a contender for Cloudflare in this area.


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    @crazycells good question. Gmail being provided by Google is going to be one of the more secure by default out of the box, although you have to bear in mind that you can have the best security in the world, but that is easily diluted by user decision.

    Obviously, it makes sense to secure all cloud based services with at least 2fa protection, or better still, biometric if available, but email still remains vastly unprotected (unless enforced in the sense of 2fa, which I know Sendgrid do) because of user choice (in the sense that users will always go for the path of least resistance when it comes to security to make their lives easier). The ultimate side effect of taking this route is being vulnerable to credentials theft via phishing attacks and social engineering.

    The same principle would easily apply to Proton Mail, who also (from memory) do not enforce 2fa. Based on this fact, neither product is more secure than the other without one form of additional authentication at least being imposed.

    In terms of direct attack on the servers holding mail accounts themselves, this is a far less common type of attack these days as tricking the user is so much simpler than brute forcing a server where you are very likely to be detected by perimeter security (IDS / IPS etc).

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    @phenomlab said in TikTok fined £12.7m for misusing children’s data:

    Just another reason not to use TikTok. Zero privacy, Zero respect for privacy, and Zero controls in place.

    https://news.sky.com/story/tiktok-fined-12-7m-for-data-protection-breaches-12849702

    The quote from this article says it all

    TikTok should have known better. TikTok should have done better

    They should have, but didn’t. Clearly the same distinct lack of core values as Facebook. Profit first, privacy… well, maybe.

    Wow, that’s crazy! so glad I stayed away from it, rotten to the core.

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    @phenomlab said in AI... A new dawn, or the demise of humanity ?:

    @Madchatthew but surely, it would flag this and report it somehow. I mean, how would it react if asked for the ingredients to make an IED?

    Yes this is a good point. It should probably be flagged somehow when asking that sort of thing.

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    @justoverclock yes, completely understand that. It’s a haven for criminal gangs and literally everything is on the table. Drugs, weapons, money laundering, cyber attacks for rent, and even murder for hire.

    Nothing it seems is off limits. The dark web is truly a place where the only limitation is the amount you are prepared to spend.

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    @phenomlab said in is my DMARC configured correctly?:

    you’ll get one from every domain that receives email from yours.

    Today I have received another mail from outlook DMARC, i was referring to your reply again and found it very helpful/informative. thanks again.

    I wish sudonix 100 more great years ahead!