Most people use the internet on a regular basis, whether it’s at home or at work; it’s become ingrained in our lives. But how many people have a clue about how your web browser fetches websites?

The simple answer is Domain Name System, more commonly known as DNS. Websites that you visit have domain names (like facebook.com, bbc.co.uk etc), and when they’re entered, the website pulls up. Because computers can’t understand written language with words, each domain name has its own IP address that contains only numbers. The DNS system converts the domain name into its IP address when entered, pulling up the website.

DNS is essential for connecting to a website, and many hackers target the vulnerabilities of DNS for malicious activities. DNS wasn’t designed with security in mind, so it isn’t difficult for cybercriminals to take advantage. Hackers can mess with the domain name and IP address mapping of DNS, and when you type in a domain name, they could redirect it to another site. The new IP address will be controlled by the attack and may contain files infected with malware. DNS spoofing attacks are typically used to spread computer worms and viruses.

There are a few things you can do to prevent DNS spoofing. You should use cryptographic network protocols: Transport Layer Security (TLS), Secure Shell (SSH), HTTP Secure (HTTPS) and other secure communications protocols protect against attacks by encrypting data before it is sent and authenticating data as it is received. You can also use spoofing detection software: There are many programs available that help organizations detect spoofing attacks such as ARP Spoofing which works by inspecting and certifying data before it is transmitted and blocking data that appears to be spoofed.