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Cited by 8Privacy, Security, and Data ProtectionInternet Traffic Analysis and Secure E-votingNetwork Security and Intrusion Detection

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On the reduction of authoritative DNS cache timeouts: Detection and implications for user privacy

Open access
Hernandez-Quintanilla, Tomas, Magaña, Eduardo, Morató, Daniel, Izal, Mikel·2021·Journal of Network and Computer Applications
DOI 10.1016/j.jnca.2020.102941
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Abstract

The domain name system (DNS) is an Internet network service that is used by hosts to resolve IP addresses from symbolic names. This basic service has been attacked and abused many times, as it is one of the oldest and most vulnerable services on the Internet. Some DNS resolvers conduct DNS manipulation, in which authoritative DNS responses are modified. This DNS manipulation is sometimes used for legitimate reasons (e.g., parental control) and other times is used to support malicious activities, such as DNS poisoning or data collection. Between these DNS manipulation activities, some Internet service providers (ISPs) are changing the DNS cache timeout of the DNS responses with which their DNS resolvers responded to obtain additional data about their subscribers. These data can be a detailed web browsing profile of the user. This approach does not require a large investment and can yield huge benefits if the information is used or sold. Therefore, user privacy is disputed. We conducted a study in which we analyse how ISPs use this DNS manipulation, propose a method for identifying this DNS manipulation by the end-user and determine the amount of information an ISP can collect by using it. We also developed a public web tool, for which the source code is available, that can help Internet users determine whether their privacy is being compromised by their ISP via the exploitation of DNS cache timeouts. This service can facilitate the collection of data on how many people are victims of this abuse and which ISPs around the world are utilizing this technique.

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Research works printed but not linked: 15

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Metadata

Authors
Hernandez-Quintanilla, T., Magaña, E., Morató, D., & Izal, M.
Affiliations
Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA) (ES)
Corresponding author
Magaña, Eduardo
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Network and Computer Applications
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2021-02
Volume
176
Pages
102941
ISSN
1084-8045 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.jnca.2020.102941
OpenAlex
W3107582994
Cited by
8
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1
FWCI
1.00
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Network and Computer Applications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Academica-e (Universidad Pública de Navarra) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
Agencia Estatal de Investigación (PID2019-104451RB-C22/AEI/10.13039/501100011033)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Privacy, Security, and Data Protection
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › Internet Traffic Analysis and Secure E-voting
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Networks and Communications › Network Security and Intrusion Detection
Keywords
user privacy, DNS resolvers

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: On the reduction of authoritative DNS cache timeouts: Detection and implications for user privacy. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1016/j.jnca.2020.102941
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Hernandez-Quintanilla, T., Magaña, E., Morató, D., & Izal, M. (2021). On the reduction of authoritative DNS cache timeouts: Detection and implications for user privacy. Journal of Network and Computer Applications. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnca.2020.102941