dgplug Newsletter #4
Inquisitive phone books
An important part in browsing the web is to resolve human readable domain names into server IP addresses, so our requests reach the correct destinations. The Domain Name System (DNS) is like a phone book for the internet, resolvers look up the domain names and return the corresponding addresses. There are two major aspects to consider:
- Most Internet Service Providers (ISP) offer their own DNS services to their customers per default. This technically allows them to log the browsing history and to generate profiles on browsing habits etc.
- If an entry in this phone book is missing, you might not be able to reach the server you're looking for (unless you can get the address elsewhere or have a good memory for numbers).
Some of the articles below discuss open and independent DNS services. For the sake of security and privacy, the used DNS service should at least be open and auditable; an important factor to consider for our everyday web surfing.
