Every time an employee visits a website, opens a cloud application, or connects to an online service, something happens behind the scenes that most people never think about.

The computer needs to figure out where to go.

That process relies heavily on the Domain Name System, better known as DNS.

DNS is sometimes described as the internet’s address book. It translates familiar names into the numerical addresses computers use to communicate.

Because DNS plays such an important role in everyday internet activity, DNS security for small businesses deserves more attention than it usually receives.

Why Should a Business Care About DNS?

Employees probably aren’t thinking about DNS while working.

They simply click a link and expect the correct website to appear.

Cybercriminals can take advantage of that trust.

Malicious websites are frequently used for:

• Phishing attacks
• Malware distribution
• Fake login pages
• Credential theft
• Ransomware delivery
• Online scams

DNS-based security can provide another layer of protection by preventing users or devices from reaching known malicious destinations.

Instead of relying entirely on an employee to recognize every dangerous website, properly configured security tools may be able to stop some connections before the site ever loads.

DNS Security Is Another Layer, Not a Complete Solution

One of the most important principles in cybersecurity is layered protection.

There isn’t one product that stops every threat.

A strong business security strategy may include:

• Firewalls
• Endpoint protection
• Email filtering
• Multi-factor authentication
• Software patching
• Employee security awareness
• DNS filtering

Each layer serves a different purpose.

If one layer misses something, another may still stop the threat.

DNS Filtering Can Also Improve Visibility

Another benefit of managed DNS security is visibility.

Businesses may be able to identify devices repeatedly attempting to reach suspicious or inappropriate destinations.

That can help uncover problems such as:

• Malware already installed on a computer
• Employees clicking suspicious links
• Unapproved applications
• Potentially compromised devices

Blocking a threat is important.

Understanding why the connection happened can be equally valuable.

Don’t Forget About Remote Employees

Business networks no longer end at the office walls.

Employees may work from:

• Home
• Hotels
• Customer locations
• Airports
• Coffee shops
• Mobile hotspots

If security exists only at the office, remote devices may lose important layers of protection when they leave the building.

Businesses should consider how laptops and other devices are protected regardless of where employees are working.

How Benson Communications Can Help

Benson Communications can help businesses look at cybersecurity as a complete environment rather than a collection of individual products.

That can include reviewing:

• Network security
• Firewall configurations
• Endpoint protection
• Microsoft 365 environments
• Remote access
• Internet reliability
• Security monitoring
• Backup and disaster recovery

The right solution depends on the individual business.

A small office with ten computers has different needs than an organization operating multiple locations with remote employees.

The goal is not to purchase every security product available.

The goal is to identify realistic risks and build appropriate layers of protection around them.

There Is Still One Layer We Consider Non-Negotiable: Backup

DNS security can help prevent employees from reaching malicious websites.

Firewalls can block unwanted traffic.

Endpoint protection can identify malware.

Multi-factor authentication can make stolen passwords less useful.

But none of those technologies eliminates every possible cause of data loss.

Your business could still experience:

• Ransomware
• Hardware failure
• Accidental deletion
• File corruption
• Software failure
• Employee mistakes
• Theft or physical damage

That’s why Benson Communications continues to emphasize one of the most important IT services a business can have:

Reliable data backup.

Benson Communications offers a strong data-backup solution designed to help protect the information businesses depend on every day.

And backup should never be treated as an afterthought.

Without Your Data, Everything Else Is Pointless

Consider what would happen if your office computers disappeared tomorrow.

Computers can be replaced.

A firewall can be replaced.

Network switches can be replaced.

Software can be reinstalled.

Even an entire network can be rebuilt.

Now imagine that your customer records, accounting information, documents, databases, and years of business files disappeared with them.

That’s a very different problem.

Your data may represent decades of work that simply cannot be recreated.

That is why every business—regardless of what other cybersecurity solutions it uses—should make absolutely certain its important data is being backed up.

Just as importantly, backups should be monitored and periodically tested to make sure the information can actually be restored.

A backup you cannot restore isn’t much of a backup.

Final Thoughts

DNS is one of those technologies most businesses use thousands of times every day without ever thinking about it.

Adding DNS security can provide another useful layer between employees and dangerous parts of the internet.

But cybersecurity isn’t about finding one magical product that eliminates every threat.

It’s about layers.

Protect the network.

Protect the computers.

Protect the accounts.

Educate the employees.

And above everything else, protect the data.

Because when everything else fails, your backup may be what allows your business to get back to work.

Without your data, everything else is pointless.