Learn about DNSCrypt protocol

DNS or Domain Name Server is a service that is mapped to an address (IP address) to the URL of the website you open in your browser. Although most websites that do not use HTTPS must ensure all data is secure, DNS security takes one step ahead. Even on HTTPS, it leaves some unencrypted data, like an open door for attackers, through DNS spoofing. By spoofing DNS, attackers on the intranet can abuse this to perform unimportant attacks. Today, a lot of malware is damaging DNS. The way the DNSCrypt works is shown in the figure below. In this article, we will discuss DNSCrypt, and how to use DNSCrypt on Windows 10 PC.

What is the DNSCrypt protocol?

Learn about DNSCrypt protocol Picture 1

It is an open protocol that authenticates communication and data transfer between DNS client and DNS resolver. This ensures that DNS is not spoofed. This protocol uses a cryptographic signature to verify that the response originates from the chosen DNS resolver and is not tampered with.

Systems using the OpenBSD operating system around 2008 pioneered this. It ensures that DNS is delivered on a secure channel, greatly improving DNS security. Accordingly, most applications on Windows or any platform, use DNS to connect to the resources of these systems on the server. However, because they are not secure, it may lead to data leak.

Currently, these systems are also working on secure transport protocols such as DNS-over-HTTP / 2.

How to use DNSCrypt on Windows 10 PC

Although DNSCrypt is available on all platforms, including Android and iOS, but within the framework of today's article, we will only discuss Windows 10 PCs. Many third-party applications are available - i.e. The client machine, can be installed on the device and even on the router. These tools use multiple DNS resolution layers to make it more secure.

One such software called Simple DNSCrypt, provides two layers of DNS security, a leaked VPN lock, poorly configured DNS, fixing incorrectly entered URLs and speeding up your browsing experience. It can also create logs, block addresses and domains.

You should know DNSCrypt is also available for servers. Some clients were known as DNSCrypt-Wrapper, Unbound by NLnetLabs, supporting both DNS-over-TLS and DNSCrypt; dnsdist of PowerDNS, supports both DNS-over-TLS and DNSCrypt; DoH-proxy of Facebook, supports DNS-over-HTTP / 2 (DoH) and rust-DoH, supports DNS-over-HTTP / 2 (DoH).

A review of a light DNSCrypt client for Windows, full of details along with installing it on Windows 10 PC already on Quantrimang. Read it, if you are interested in installing DNSCrypt on your Windows computer.

See more:

1. Knowledge of TCP / IP network protocols
2. The difference between TCP and UDP protocols
3. Things you should know about HTTP / 2 protocol