DNS Firewall Protects a Global U.S. Defense Network from Millions of Malicious Queries Every Day
Customer Company Size
Large Corporate
Region
- America
Country
- United States
Product
- Infoblox DNS Firewall
- Infoblox 4010 appliances
Tech Stack
- DNS Security
- Malware Data Feeds
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Customer Satisfaction
Technology Category
- Cybersecurity & Privacy - Network Security
- Cybersecurity & Privacy - Security Compliance
Applicable Industries
- National Security & Defense
Applicable Functions
- Business Operation
Use Cases
- Intrusion Detection Systems
Services
- System Integration
About The Customer
This large federal U.S. defense agency is responsible for providing forces and resources for planning and conducting cyberspace operations and defending its own networks. With hundreds of thousands of uniformed and non-uniformed employees around the world, the organization relies on a secure and available network that links hundreds of bases globally. The agency's mission is critical, requiring robust cybersecurity measures to protect against a high volume of malicious network traffic and ensure compliance with regulatory mandates.
The Challenge
The organization was experiencing millions of events per day, some known to be malicious and others unexplained but originating from malicious IP spaces or destined for countries known for nefarious activity. The agency struggled to maintain blacklists due to the volume of bad traffic. An audit in 2011 revealed only basic abilities to identify sources of communications to malicious destinations, which could be identified at the base level but not at the device level. The agency needed to pinpoint the IP addresses of infected devices and comply with regulatory mandates to inject blacklisting feeds from other agencies.
The Solution
The agency, already equipped with an extensive Infoblox installation, enhanced its network security by installing 36 Infoblox 4010 appliances running Infoblox DNS Firewall at regional boundaries and Grid Masters. The DNS Firewall provides a feed for current malware data and prevents DNS-exploiting malware from communicating with botnets or exfiltrating sensitive information. This solution allows the agency to disrupt and redirect outbound communications with command-and-control servers and botnets to internal servers for analysis. Additionally, malware data feeds from other agencies can be incorporated into the DNS Firewall feed for blocking, and already-infected devices can be identified and quarantined or remediated.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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