Servers can determine precisely how to respond to a DNS query using the domain name system records. There are dozens of types of records. To understand some of those records, you must study them in detail. Interestingly, a DNS lookup tool can be used to find the details of domain name system records quickly.
When you know which records correspond to which types of activities, you can tell when they are out of place or misused.
Their most important aspect is that they are a treasure trove of network security information. Using DNS data to hunt for threats on your network can be beneficial.
Understanding which record types correspond to which types of activities will allow you to identify when a record is out of place or being misused.
If you do not know how DNS works and the different types of DNS records, then don’t worry; we are here to guide you. In this article, we will discuss the basics of the following aspects so you can get a better understanding of domain name system records:
- What is DNS?
- What are the DNS records?
- How are DNS records vital?
Table of Contents
What is DNS?
The domain name system (DNS) assigns an IP address to each domain name. DNS is a database containing numeric IP addresses for alphabetical domain names.
If a user searches for a website, he enters an alphabetic domain name, isn’t that right? With DNS technology, the computer server can match the alphabetic domain name with its numeric IP address to identify the website and load it on the user’s screen.
In other words, DNS helps a browser locate and load the required web resource by converting a domain name into its IP address. Entering the domain name in the IP lookup tool helps you to get the IP address associated with the domain.
Like a telephone directory, it stores and associates a person’s name with his telephone number. DNS is responsible for mapping a domain name to its IP address.
Most importantly, DNS records contain all the essential information about a domain IP address, which is helpful for network troubleshooting and website analysis.
What is DNS Record?
The DNS records provide essential information about a hostname or domain. These records help track the IP address and other significant information about a domain name.
The DNS records are stored as a text file on the authoritative DNS server (zone file). The content of a DNS record file consists of a string of commands that the DNS server can easily understand.
DNS Record Types
Before you carry out a DNS record lookup, you must know how to work each DNS record. The DNS records are classified into different types as discussed below:
- A record: This type of record contains the IPv4 address of a domain.
- AAAA record: This type of record contains the IPv6 address for a domain.
- CNAME record: This type of record does not provide an IP address. The purpose of this is to alias one hostname to another. Fundamentally, it is used to forward one domain or sub-domain to another.
- MX record: This type of record is used for sending mail directly to the mail server. For a domain, MX records specify the SMTP mail servers.
- NS record: This type of record contains information about the domain’s name servers. During the setup process, it created authoritative nameservers and their addresses.
- PTR record: This type of record redirects IP addresses to hostnames. It performs reverse IP lookups and provides a domain name when completing reverse IP lookups.
- SRV record: This type of record specifies the port number for a particular service. It is similar to MX but for different communication protocols.
- SOA record: This type of record contains information about a domain, including contact information for its administrator, the serial number for the domain, and the frequency at which DNS information should be refreshed.
- TXT record: This type of record contains the text notes for the domain. For example, SPF, DKIM, opportunistic encryption, and DMARC.
- CAA record: This type of record the authorization of the certification authority. The domain owner can specify which certificate authorities may issue certificates for the domain.
- DS record: This type of record is known as a delegation signer. In this record, you will find your public key’s unique elements and associated metadata, such as the Key Tag, Algorithm, Digest Type, and the Digest (cryptographic hash value). This record is used to secure delegations (DNSSEC).
- DNSKEY record: This type of record contains a public key used to verify Domain Name System Security Extension (DNSSEC) signatures.
Conclusion
The primary function of DNS records is to inform servers on how to respond to DNS queries. These records are also essential to understand some of these factors to understand better what is happening on your network. Each DNS record type has its significance. DNS cannot function properly without these records. You can use an online tool for a quick DNS record lookup and get a comprehensive report of any website’s DNS records.
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