Infoblox positions DNS as the earliest point of cyber threat prevention, claiming to block malicious infrastructure an average of 68.4 days before traditional detection tools. The company’s Protective DNS approach leverages global DNS visibility to identify threats before they can weaponize their infrastructure.
Infoblox Threat Intel monitors over 200,000 threat actor clusters using proprietary algorithms designed to identify infrastructure during construction phases. The company’s detection pipeline combines real-time DNS telemetry with predictive threat intelligence.
“We have dozens of algorithms running concurrently to identify both high-risk/suspicious and malicious behavior,” the company explains to Techzine. These algorithms analyze observable DNS features ranging from simple elements like registrars and nameservers to complex patterns in query timing and content.
The system employs what Infoblox describes as a “cartel-first” strategy. Rather than focusing solely on individual malware variants, this approach targets the broader infrastructure and supply chains that threat actors use to launch campaigns.
Infoblox employs various methods, including statistical analysis and DNS expertise, to identify infrastructure patterns across tens of billions of daily DNS queries. By focusing on infrastructure rather than payloads, the system aims to preempt attacks and disrupt campaigns before launch.
DNS queries reveal threats before they strike
Every digital interaction starts with a DNS query. Before any payload is delivered or malware executes, devices must resolve domain names to IP addresses. This fundamental internet protocol creates what Infoblox calls “the first observable behavior in most cyberattacks.”
“DNS is the earliest point of prevention for all cyberattacks,” explains the company. This positioning allows Protective DNS to intercept threats regardless of whether endpoints operate behind firewalls, work remotely, or remain unmanaged by traditional security tools.
The approach differs significantly from conventional “detect and respond” security models. While traditional tools wait for a patient zero to become compromised before learning about new malware variants, Infoblox’s system identifies and blocks threat actor infrastructure during the preparation phase.
Machine learning reduces false positives
The platform runs dozens of algorithms built from Infoblox’s DNS threat expertise and global query visibility. Beyond detection capabilities, the company invests significantly in reducing false positives through patented algorithms for domain allowlist creation and reputation scoring.
Infoblox continuously monitors false positive reporting and measures escalation rates to protect customers without negatively impacting network operations. The company has published algorithms for reputation scoring, demonstrating transparency in its approach.
High-risk, suspicious, and malicious domains become available to customers on-premises and in cloud environments within approximately 15 minutes of identification. Additionally, near-real-time algorithms can identify new threats within customer environments in under a minute through DNS traffic inspection.
Testing capabilities and deployment options
Detection Mode allows organizations to test DNS-based threat detection without modifying existing IT or network infrastructure. This lightweight approach enables proof-of-concept evaluations without pointing production DNS traffic to Threat Defense.
Using DNS query and response log forwarding, Detection Mode configurations provide visibility into threats that would have been blocked if Threat Defense were deployed inline with production traffic.
This testing capability addresses a common challenge organizations face when evaluating new security technologies. Companies can assess the solution’s effectiveness in their specific environment before committing to infrastructure changes.
Integration advantages of unified platform
Infoblox positions itself as the only vendor offering Protective DNS and DDI (DNS, DHCP, IPAM) capabilities on an integrated platform. This approach provides several operational benefits.
According to the company, the team managing DNS should also handle DNS troubleshooting and protective security functionality. This integration makes operationalization and troubleshooting easier compared to implementing Protective DNS through Next-Generation Firewalls or Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solutions.
The unified platform provides the broadest coverage and uniform protection across sites, clouds, and endpoints. Real-time, native visibility into DNS queries, correlated with IPAM and DHCP data, enables the immediate mapping of malicious activity to specific users, devices, or workloads.
This correlation capability accelerates investigation and remediation processes by eliminating the need for security and network operations teams to coordinate separately for context around threat activity.
Ecosystem integration and workflow automation
Infoblox integrates directly with existing security ecosystems, including SIEM, SOAR, XDR, and vulnerability management platforms. These connections enable faster investigations, automated response workflows, and more efficient remediation processes.
Rich threat context, precise asset attribution, and curated intelligence flow across systems, ensuring security analysts receive relevant insights when needed. The integrations support automated workflows that can respond to threats without manual intervention.
The Protection Before Impact dashboard provides CISOs and security teams with quantifiable metrics on threats neutralized before device or workload connections to malicious infrastructure. This capability offers clear proof of value for preemptive security strategies.
With cyber threats continually evolving, DNS-based detection provides a strategic advantage by intercepting malicious activity at the foundational level of internet communications. The approach demonstrates how established protocols can serve new purposes in modern cybersecurity architectures.
Tip: Infoblox Universal DDI brings all DNS together in one place