In the constant tug-of-war between security and availability, Domain Name System (DNS) access controls play a pivotal role in maintaining harmony and reducing friction between internal teams. Often caught in a standoff, public key infrastructure (PKI) and DNS teams grapple with the balance of permissions—too broad, and you risk breaches; too restrictive, and you create operational bottlenecks. Fine-grained DNS access controls offer a solution, promoting a collaborative environment where security and agility coexist, effectively dissolving the PKI-DNS standoff.
Understanding DNS Access Controls
America may run on a popular coffee brand, but the internet runs on DNS, and as such, access to DNS records should be tightly controlled. DNS access controls determine who can make changes to DNS records and what changes they can make. This is crucial because DNS controls how users and systems find your online services; if the wrong person changes a record, it could have adverse outcomes.
By regulating who can access or modify DNS settings, organizations can safeguard against unauthorized changes and malicious attacks. Fine-tuned access controls strike a balance between security and functionality, allowing infrastructure and security teams to collaborate without roadblocks. These controls ensure that teams only have the DNS access necessary to perform their role, which helps in preventing errors and improving response times in dynamic environments.
Effective DNS Access Controls for Security and Stability
To keep DNS infrastructure secure and resilient, organizations should implement a layered approach to access control.
Role-Based Access Controls (RBAC)
RBAC plays a crucial role in DNS security by limiting access based on specific job roles. With RBAC, only authorized personnel can modify DNS records. This aligns with the least-privilege access principles. By creating custom roles, organizations can manage resources more finely. For example, certain personnel may only edit specific record types like CNAME to point applications to new cloud services, but not others used for critical functions like email (MX) or name server delegation (NS). Built-in roles like DNS Zone Contributor allow full control, but custom roles can restrict permissions for more precise access.
DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC)
DNSSEC is used to add cryptographic authentication to verify the authenticity and integrity of DNS data. In 2023, ICANN launched a new initiative to promote DNSSEC adoption, offering resources to ease deployment. DNSSEC helps defend against common DNS attacks such as cache poisoning, man-in-the-middle (MitM), and domain hijacking by ensuring DNS responses are authenticated and haven’t been tampered with. It does this through cryptographic elements such as zone signing, where records are signed with a private key. The DNSKEY/DS records contain a public key used for verification. By validating DNS responses through digital signatures, DNSSEC reduces traditional DNS vulnerabilities like spoofing, bolstering overall security.
DNS Security in Cloud and Container Environments
In dynamic environments like cloud and containers, DNS supports critical functions like service discovery and load balancing. But as services spin up, scale, and shut down rapidly, DNS security must be both resilient and responsive. Applying strong DNS access controls ensures that DNS keeps pace with change without opening the door to risk.
As a best practice, organizations can harden their cloud environments by implementing the following DNS controls:
- Automate DNSSEC to verify DNS responses, preventing spoofing and cache poisoning.
- Monitor and log DNS changes to maintain visibility and support incident response.
- Restrict outbound DNS traffic to approved resolvers and block unauthorized queries.
- Layer on external DNS filtering to block known threats and enforce security policies at the DNS level.
The Role of DNS in Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
PKI teams rely on DNS-based domain control validation (DCV) methods to validate a domain on a pending Organization Validated (OV) or Extended Validation (EV) certificate. To do this, they must publish a DNS TXT record to the domain’s authoritative DNS zone. Without the right controls in place, PKI teams may find themselves stuck in a ticket queue, waiting on DNS admins to manually update records. However, if PKI teams have too much access it can introduce unnecessary risks for the organization’s DNS.
DNS access controls can help both teams streamline their workflows and find the right balance:
- DNS is a required component for DCV: Manual updates introduce risks. That’s why certificate authorities (CAs) like DigiCert support TXT record–based validation. A single platform for digital trust management can streamline the process certificate process for both teams.
- Automation tools can bridge the gap: PKI teams can self-service DCV record creation using DNS APIs and automation workflows without involving DNS teams for every request.
- Access management access is key: Instead of full-zone or full-account access, access controls like RBAC can limit PKI teams to managing specific record types (e.g., TXT) or specific subdomains used for validation.
By leveraging DNS access controls, organizations can empower PKI teams to move quickly while preserving DNS stability and security— no tickets necessary.
Bridging Security and Agility: How DNS Access Controls Align PKI and DNS Teams
While PKI and DNS teams may have historically been at odds with one another, there is a path for more effective collaboration that balances the needs of both security and availability. When DNS permissions are too loose, they create opportunities for unauthorized access, putting core services at risk. When they’re too tight, PKI workflows stall—jeopardizing timely certificate renewals and potentially causing outages. But the reality is that PKI and DNS don’t have to sit in opposition to one another; both are key parts of an effective security strategy to protect a business’ digital infrastructure.
Fine-grained DNS access controls solve this problem by granting PKI teams scoped, role-based permissions to update only what they need (like TXT records for ACME challenges) without exposing the full DNS zone. This ensures:
- Faster certificate issuance through automation-friendly policies
- Stronger DNS protection by applying least-privilege access principles
- Reduced friction between teams, minimizing delays and miscommunication
- Improve audit readiness, helping security teams track every DNS change
- A more resilient defense against DNS-based cyber threats
By aligning access with responsibilities, organizations can protect DNS infrastructure without slowing down operations. The result is a more secure, responsive environment where DNS access empowers progress instead of blocking it.
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