The Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) consist of a series of internet standards to ensure greater security for the Domain Name System (DNS). In short, the DNS is extended with authentication using DNSSEC.
What is DNS?
The Domain Name System is responsible for linking domain names with IP addresses, but no information is verified for authenticity. Falsification is therefore easily possible and the user could, for example, be redirected to a false IP address or fake website.
Imagine you want to access www.your-online-banking.ch. Now someone maliciously interferes and redirects you to a fake site. It looks like your online banking, but it belongs to a criminal. This is where DNSSEC comes into play to protect you.
How does DNSSEC work?
DNSSEC uses an asymmetric cryptographic system to protect you from being misled and from fake websites. With DNSSEC, you are truly visiting the page that you have entered.
The owner of the information - usually the main server on which the area to be protected is located - uses its private key to sign each individual data record.
The DNS client can use the owner's public key to check this signature and thus verify authenticity and integrity.
