Open Access

REVIEW

The Impact of Domain Name Server (DNS) over Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) on Cyber Security: Limitations, Challenges, and Detection Techniques

by Muhammad Dawood¹, Shanshan Tu¹, Chuangbai Xiao¹, Muhammad Haris², Hisham Alasmary³, Muhammad Waqas^4,5,*, Sadaqat Ur Rehman⁶

1 Faculty of Information Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China
2 National Center of Robotics and Automation, University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar, 25000, Pakistan
3 Department of Computer Science, College of Computer Science, King Khalid University, Abha, 61421, Saudi Arabia
4 School of Computing and Engineering Sciences, Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Greenwich, London, SE10 9LS, United Kingdom
5 School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA 6027, Australia
6 School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Salford, Manchester, M54BR, United Kingdom

* Corresponding Author: Muhammad Waqas. Email:

Computers, Materials & Continua 2024, 80(3), 4513-4542. https://doi.org/10.32604/cmc.2024.050049

Received 26 January 2024; Accepted 07 August 2024; Issue published 12 September 2024

Abstract

The DNS over HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) (DoH) is a new technology that encrypts DNS traffic, enhancing the privacy and security of end-users. However, the adoption of DoH is still facing several research challenges, such as ensuring security, compatibility, standardization, performance, privacy, and increasing user awareness. DoH significantly impacts network security, including better end-user privacy and security, challenges for network security professionals, increasing usage of encrypted malware communication, and difficulty adapting DNS-based security measures. Therefore, it is important to understand the impact of DoH on network security and develop new privacy-preserving techniques to allow the analysis of DoH traffic without compromising user privacy. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of the effects of DoH on cybersecurity. We discuss various techniques for detecting DoH tunneling and identify essential research challenges that need to be addressed in future security studies. Overall, this paper highlights the need for continued research and development to ensure the effectiveness of DoH as a tool for improving privacy and security.

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