A Beginner’s Guide to OpenDNS Content Filtering

Every connection a network makes on the internet exposes it to harmful threats. OpenDNS content filtering offers the easiest way to filter web content and prevent access to unsafe or inappropriate websites on your network.

A web filter restrains access to specific domains on the internet and prevents access to malicious webpages. Data breaches, bank account hacking, loss of sensitive information, and client’s accounts are examples of damages resulting from cyber-attacks.

DNS content filtering, also called OpenDNS filtering, improves managed IT-serviced clients’ cybersecurity and their protection. The core of any DNS filtering solution is evaluating and handling users’ DNS queries. DNS filtering technology is critical to Managed IT services. In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know to get started with OpenDNS content filtering for cybersecurity.

 

What’s Domain Name System (DNS) Web Filtering?

The DNS is similar to a phonebook, but in this case, a phonebook containing website IP addresses. DNS web filtering ensures a safe environment for your network operations by blocking users’ attempts to visit harmful websites. When a user tries to visit a website and DNS web filtering is in place, the DNS server filters the IP address to check if the website is genuine or fake.

DNS blocking happens when the website is recognized as malicious. The DNS filter utilizes blacklists of known malicious websites. It analyzes previous lists of websites, and if the website hasn’t previously been listed and marked as malicious, the user’s request is successful. However, if the website is malicious or infringes set rules, the browser directs the user to a local IP address containing a block-page that shows why they can’t access the website.

A web filtering managed service provider (MSP) activates this control at the router phase. The MSP has a blacklist of hostile webpages and prohibits entry to those pages. The categories of forbidden webpages may include pornography, child pornography, and gambling sites.

DNS web filtering protects organizations from malware and phishing attacks. It’s always best to allow a third-party vendor or MSP to conduct a DNS lookup instead of an organization running itself. The risk of exposure to vulnerabilities increases significantly when an organization performs a DNS lookup with its DNS paraphernalia.

An MSP reroutes the DNS queries of its client and examines them to ensure that they’re permitted by standard filtering guidelines. The filtering guidelines can be applied to individual users or a group of users in a network. It can also apply to an MSP client’s entire network.

Permitted sites refer to content types, considered useful and harmless, authorized on the client’s network. Once the requested site meets the approved category standard, the DNS query resolves into the website.

 

 

What’s OpenDNS Filtering?

OpenDNS provides DNS resolution services designed to protect enterprise clients from malware, phishing, and targeted online attacks. The OpenDNS web filter is a DNS-based web filtering solution with a quick and straightforward setup process.

Once you configure the OpenDNS content filtering service as the DNS server for your network, it shields you from attack by forbidding traffic from infected devices  or untrustworthy websites. This service conducts URL (Uniform Resource Locator) scrutiny against traffic from MSPs with unsafe domains and subjects it to deeper inspection and file analysis.

OpenDNS web filters contain various examples of web content, enabling quick control of IP addresses and webpages that can be accessed by users. Further, it furnishes administrators with insight into websites that users are accessing, irrespective of devices, locality or ports when connected to the network.

It’s vital to recognize that when you assign OpenDNS settings to a network, systems and devices connected to that network also inherit those settings.

Benefits of OpenDNS Filtering

There are many benefits of utilizing OpenDNS filtering to protect your network. Below are some of the most important benefits of OpenDNS filtering. 

 

1. Easy access

The OpenDNS filtering service is easy to use, as you only need to open your network connections and update the DNS server to OpenDNS. One of the most incredible benefits of OpenDNS is that you can easily access all its services. Well, if that seems too good to be true, you should know that OpenDNS handles roughly 100 billion DNS inquiries daily from about 85 million different users around the world!

 

2. Quick service

The procedure is fast! With just a single simple step on your computer, you can get protection against malicious actors. OpenDNS filtering also increases the general browsing speed of your network.

 

3. Large storage

OpenDNS servers store the location of millions of websites in their reserve, so your requests are provided quickly. This ensures that there’s no delay even if several users are requesting the same IP address simultaneously.

 

4. Blocks Malicious web pages and content

A major benefit of using OpenDNS is that it blocks access to phishing websites on your device. This way, you can stay on top of your cybersecurity game and always be ahead of hackers. It also means that you’re able to secure your organization against the catastrophic damage that often comes with cyber-attacks.

 

5. Editing function

The OpenDNS web filter carries out editing on your typos while typing the name of known websites. For example, if you type www.yahoo.com but miss the extra “o”, the OpenDNS web filter will load the google site directly.

 

6. Increases productivity

Users can utilize OpenDNS shortcuts to gain quick access to their favourite websites. This reduces the time you spend on your activities, thereby also increasing productivity.

Some other benefits of using the OpenDNS filtering solution are:

• Endless blacklists of malicious websites
• Whitelist-only codes to prohibit access to particular sites and content
• Cloud-based administrative rights over the network
• Capacity to establish rules by network, sectors, device, and by IP address
• Suitable for both Windows and Mac OSes

 

Closing Thoughts

OpenDNS is an encompassing and durable web DNS filtering service. It provides detailed content evaluation and protection from cyberthreats.

However, the OpenDNS service can be costly for many businesses. IT Managed Solution Providers deliver better services for a portion of the cost with considerable flexibility. If you’re unsure about the best OpenDNS managed service providers or their alternatives, look no further. 

RSI Security possesses the requisite expertise to furnish your organization with solid OpenDNS filtering solutions. Our experts will work together with you to ensure that you stay on top of all your cybersecurity endeavors. For more consultation on OpenDNS filtering and other cybersecurity consulting solutions, schedule a FREE session with us today.

 

 

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