Differentiate between the Domain Name System (DNS) and Interception
network attacks using suitable examples. Your answer must give types of
network attacks as examples and use the examples to show the difference.
The Domain Name System (DNS) and interception network attacks are two distinct concepts in the field of computer networks. Here is a differentiation between the two along with suitable examples:
1. Domain Name System (DNS):
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a decentralized hierarchical naming system used to convert human-readable domain names (e.g., google.com) into IP addresses (e.g., 74.125.200.101) that computers can understand. DNS acts as a directory and enables users to access websites without needing to remember the specific IP address associated with them.
Example: Consider a user trying to access the website "www.example.com" through their browser. When the user types the URL into the browser, the DNS resolver within the user's system sends a request to the DNS server (e.g., the user's ISP DNS server or a public DNS server like Google's 8.8.8.8). The DNS server then resolves the domain name to the corresponding IP address and sends it back to the user's system, allowing the browser to establish a connection with the webserver at the provided IP address.
2. Interception Network Attacks:
Interception network attacks involve intercepting and capturing network traffic between two parties, usually with malicious intent. This can be done through several methods, such as man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks, packet sniffing, or network eavesdropping. The attacker gains unauthorized access to the communication channel and can intercept, alter, or redirect data exchanged between the two legitimate parties.
Example: One common interception attack is a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack. In this scenario, an attacker intercepts the communication between two entities and secretly relays or alters the messages exchanged, giving the impression that the parties are communicating directly. For instance, consider an attacker targeting a user's online banking session. They intercept the communication between the user and the bank's server and capture the user's login credentials and sensitive information without the user's knowledge.
The key difference between DNS and interception network attacks is that DNS is a fundamental system that enables the resolution of domain names to IP addresses, facilitating internet access and communication. On the other hand, interception network attacks exploit vulnerabilities in the network infrastructure to intercept and manipulate data exchanged between two legitimate parties, leading to unauthorized access or unauthorized modification of the data.